Terminator: Season three
by PERSAUD1998
Summary: John Connor has arrived in 2027. No one knows who he is and he does not know a way to get out of trouble. Can he find someone he knows to exonerate him? Is his mother Sarah Connor still alive? Where is Catherine Weaver? Why did John Henry leave? More importantly, where is Cameron? JAMERON [Due to continuous criticism, as of Dec 23, 2017, I will commit to overhauling my story]
1. Born to Run

Chapter 1

Note: _This story takes place after the events of the series finale of Terminator: Sarah Connor Chronicles titled "Born to Run". The multi-chapter fiction is based on season three revelations from producers and cast members, logical deduction to ascertain certain truths, rumors of how the story would have progressed, and of course some good old fashion imagination. Several fans who have written post BTR stories often portray characters a little less realistically than they should be and fail to demonstrate a proper understanding of multiple timelines. With so many unanswered questions and a new universe that totally undid everything that happened in the first and second Terminator films, I endeavor to fill up all the holes to create a satisfying ending to the series. I know it's been years since the finale aired but I figured it was better late than never._

 _If there are any mistakes, let me know, but otherwise...enjoy!_

 **(As of December 24, 2017, I will be editing the story now that I have a little time on my hands. If you'd like, you can resist reading this story until the end of next month, and you will be blessed by a much more concise and grammatically correct read.)**

* * *

"John, we can't." She protested, backing out of the forming time bubble.

But John could not even bear the thought of Cameron being gone. All of his experiences with Cameron came flashing before his eyes. Those words on the screen haunted him as he stood next to her lifeless body. It was a horrid experience.

 _I'm sorry John_

 _I'm sorry John_

 _I'm sorry John_

Blinded by panic he choked out, "He's got her!"

Sarah did not want him to go, but there was no way he could prevent John from leaving her to get the cyborg back. Despite convincing herself it was not true, beneath all of John's anger and frustration, he was a strongly attached to the machine.

For Sarah, there was something else to think about. She could not compromise her one life goal ever since she was a teenager, to stop Skynet and prevent judgment day. No metal was worth humanity's survival. No metal was worth her son's survival, not even Cameron. She knew the right thing to do was to stop John, to do what the machine before Cameron wanted John to do. He had to let go. But this time it was different. Sarah didn't have the strength in her heart to do it.

She looked sympathetically to her son and said, "I'll stop it."

She was not sure if that was a promise she could keep, but she had to stay and try.

John was terribly confused in his anxious state of mind. He could not comprehend his mother's decision when Cameron was clearly in trouble. He expected her to go with him, but Sarah was not interested. He gazed into her eyes, totally lost in thought to Cameron, as the blue time bubble expanded. Without budging, the spherical blue form of energy consumed him and blurred the longing image of his mother.

Then a flash.

Then there was nothing. It was dark, frigid, and he was completely naked. He rose up and searched the unknown location not really knowing where to go or what to do. Everywhere was covered in dirt, rubble, or dust. It all quickly registered what era he was living in. It was the post-apocalyptic ruins of judgment day.

He turned around quickly to find Weaver wearing a resistance uniform. Seeing that the liquid metal terminator was still around, his eyes quickly shot around looking for Cameron's body. But in all of his desperation he found nothing.

He yelled, "Where's Cameron? Where's her body?!"

"It doesn't go through" she plainly replied.

It occurred to him that Cameron was damaged. There was no way a lifeless robot with half of her skin ripped off would make it through a time bubble. Nevertheless, John could not think logically at this point.

 _No! I killed her! This can't be real_.

All of the sudden, he heard something. He jumped in fear when he heard the sound of human voices and barking dogs approaching the scene. He scoured his surroundings and laid his eyes upon a large coat lying on an old rickety cot. He picked it up and tightly wrapped it around himself and cringed in his hiding place trying to avoid being spotted. When they passed by, he quickly exited in search of Weaver. Little did he know, a dark figure emerged behind him...but this time it wasn't Weaver.

The figure shouted, "Got one! Got one!"

John surrendered himself quickly to the soldier aiming his rifle at him. "One what? What?" He glanced around hoping to find Weaver, but he stared at nothing. He pleaded, "Please, I'm not metal!"

"Don't move! Don't move!" the man said cautiously.

John begged him once again, "Please! I haven't got anything. I-I'm human!"

'Cause I will blast you!" the soldier threatened

Another dark figure emerged from behind the soldier. "Stand down!" A powerful, but familiar voice commanded. John watched him in complete shock. Walking towards him was none other than Derek Reese. He was alive!

Without even thinking he smiled and whispered his name in relief, "Derek?"

Derek already walked up to him face to face and answered questioningly, "Yeah?"

"John..." He said.

Derek made no sign of recognition at the utterance of his name, but rather looked confused.

John continued,"...John Connor."

In almost a humorous tone, he answered, "I know a lot of people kid. But I don't know you."

John crumbled at the revelation. Then it hit him. Once his brain slowed down and engulfed itself in reality, he figured out he never existed. He jumped time in search of his companion...err...protector. He was not their savior like his mother told him all of his life. He was no leader of any resistance. Part of him was relieved and other part of him was amazed.

Derek interrupted his thoughts, "You know what? I think you're going to be famous."

John smiled positively thinking that maybe he did know him somehow. Perhaps his uncle did recognize him.

Derek explained, "My brother's back, and you're wearing his coat."

John saw Derek's eyes shift past him. John turned around, revealing the stunning image of his father. His soft eyes and his familiar complexion. John could barely keep it all in. In front of him was the man himself, Kyle Reese. His father, his mother's protector and lover, and someone he never knew.

But that wasn't it. John's eyes continued to shift about. Something certainly caught his eye. He saw her. It wasn't possible, but it had to be. It was Cameron! She was alive! John just stared at Cameron. It couldn't be a mirage could it? No, it wasn't. He knew it was real. There was so much John wanted to do and say.

 _No! Cameron, she's back! She survived...she...she..._

Something was amiss...John knew it. She did not say anything...she did not recognize him. She just stared at him as she got on her knees to pet her dog.

 _Wait? Dogs don't like terminators. No...it couldn't be...could it?_

There was something about her. The clothes she was wearing, her overall demeanor, it was different from Cameron's mechanical mannerisms. Her movements were so graceful, her eyes were so peaceful. They sparkled with life. Then John knew it...it wasn't Cameron. It was another woman. But who was she? Why did she look like Cameron?


	2. Set up

Chapter 2

* * *

The younger Reese brother eyed the naked teenager still wrapped up in his coat. Something about John threw Kyle off. Kyle felt this strange feeling like he knew him, though he never met him in his life. The strangest thing was the way John's eyes were, they gave him the impression that they knew each other, though that was supposed to be impossible.

Taking a few more glances, he asked, "Derek, who is this kid?"

Derek replied, "He says his name is John Connor. You know him?"

Kyle hesitated for a second, but he relented, "...nah, I don't think so."

He shifted his eyes off John, turning back to Derek, "What's he doing here and why is he wearing my coat?"

"That's exactly what I intend to ask him!" The Lieutenant smirked.

"Hey kid," Derek demanded, "Where're you from and why the hell are you naked?"

John was at a complete loss for words.

"I, uh..."

A random soldier shouted, "Maybe he's one of those flashers! Those pervs go around sexually harassing women for fun."

Kyle motioned the man to pipe down, giving him a glare, though it did nothing to calm an already frightened John.

All of the sudden Derek shot out, "You a damn gray John Connor? Or did you have an urgent need to go out for an exposed stroll in this god-awful weather?"

John backed away slightly. He could not tell which one was scarier, the murderous rage in Derek's eyes at the slight mention of the word "gray" or the tightened clamp his fingers had on his sidearm.

John desperately tried to calm the situation, "What! No, no, no! I'm not a gray!"

One girl observed the entire encounter with concern. She honestly believed this boy was confused, almost as if he was a victim of some freak accident. She saw his eyes. They were lot like Kyle's in fact. They seemed honest, almost frightened. She knew that Derek was coming on too hard on him. She decided to step in before Derek did something harsh.

The girl named Allison interrupted, "Derek, the men are tired. Can't this wait until tomorrow?"

Her gentle voice seemed to work wonders as Derek's approach immediately softened.

He sighed, "Fine, whatever. Allison, go to the infirmary and fetch him something to wear and then have Oshiro escort him to his sell. We'll deal with this in the morning."

Allison nodded and instantly made her way towards John.

John inwardly screamed in relief. He was near certain it was the end of the road for him. He had to gather his thoughts and come up with a plan. His mind was still trying to sort itself out when a warm hand grabbed grasped his shoulder. It was Cameron's human twin. John nearly jumped at her touch. While observing her from up close, he really didn't know what to think. Who was this girl? Cameron never mentioned a human template. Despite her knotted messy hair and her soiled face, she still looked beautiful. This made him wonder about Cameron. Was he attached to Cameron because of her beauty or because of her personality as whole? Why did he jump in the first place? He couldn't even understand himself or what sudden force caused him to jump to future. He just knew he had to find Cameron.

"Hi, my name is Allison...John was it?"

Cameron's voice nearly made John jump.

Then it blew up in John's face like a load of dynamite. John had a brief flashback. He recalled that Cameron thought she was Allison when her chip malfunctioned. John always wondered whether Cameron experienced some sort of infiltration protocol or whether she really believed she was actually Allison. Nevertheless, he didn't have time to contemplate on that just yet. John decided to take a different approach to lighten the mood. He didn't want this Allison to catch onto anything just yet.

"That's what it says on my birth certificate." He smiled.

Allison formed a ghost of a smile too just like Cameron used to do.

"Come on John, follow me." she replied.

While they walked, side by side, Allison stole a look at John piquing his curiosity. When John turned to meet her eyes, Allison shyly looked away. Only a minute later, Allison did it again, but when John eyed her, Allison looked away.

In a sudden and thoughtless attempt at humor, John asked her, "What? You don't see naked crazy men running around the base every so often?"

"No. I've seen crazier. But I was thinking…I take it you were born before the bombs dropped?" she said.

John felt kind of nervous. How did she deduce that? Was he such an easy read?

He answered, "Yeah, I guess, how did you know?"

The girl replied, "You said you have a birth certificate. We don't get a lot of those anymore."

John relaxed, "Oh."

"Have we met before John?" Allison said.

The young man suddenly stammered, "Um...uh, no. Why would you think that?"

"Oh nothing...,"Allison's eyes rolled, "I was just curious, that's all."

When they arrived at the hospital, John saw the area was pretty dirty. The smell wasn't much better either. He saw an understaffed infirmary trying to help everyone in their care. He saw rows upon rows of sickly and injured men lying in uncomfortable cots. And when they did not have enough room for their patients, they laid them on the floor. He could see amputees limping around while the injured moaned in pain waiting for treatment. Allison seemed unperturbed by it all.

John was shocked in disgust that the doctors were operating on someone without any anesthetics to dull the pain. The bloodcurdling screams shook him to the core. He truly saw the horrors of Skynet...all of it in one room.

Allison quickly announced, "Wait here," and brushed passed him instantly.

She dashed into a medical supplies room and found some old clothes for John to put on.

"You can change in there...but don't do anything stupid." She said.

John sighed and whispered to himself, "Wouldn't dream of it."

When John returned he saw Oshiro conversing with Allison, obviously ready to escort him to his cell.

He caught the last part of her conversation with Oshiro, "He's all yours."

Oshiro looked intently on John with menacing eyes.

"Move on scum!" the Japanese man shoved him towards the exit.

"Hey watch it!" John turned to Allison while rubbing his aching shoulders.

He moaned, "What's this guy's problem?"

Allison just shrugged and looked away like she didn't even know who he was anymore. John pleadingly gazed at her a second longer before getting forced out of the infirmary. He figured that by now, rumors would have gone around labeling him as a gray. While John didn't like it, he was not surprised by the thought. How else would one react if someone saw him like this?

Inside the prison, Oshiro heaved open the heavy metal door and threw John into the cell. John hit the ground hard and the door behind him slammed shut. It was dark, cold, and little dirty, but at least he was alone. Getting up and climbing onto the prison bench, John mentally got to work.

He said to himself, "What can I possibly say to Derek that will get me out of this dingy prison cell? Yeah that's it. I've got to figure out a way to get out of here first!"

John was going to spend all night trying to think up ways to get out of this mess without running into a roadblock. He knew that it had to be his number one priority before he could plan on doing anything else. Despite his newfound focus, John couldn't help but let Allison and Cameron linger into his thoughts.

That's when John knew this was going to be a really long night...

* * *

 **The next day…**

Allison casually walked towards the mess hall. It was lunch time, and swarms of people rushed past her, hoping to get in line first. Allison didn't mind though. The food was rationed, so it really didn't matter if she came first or last. All she really could think about was John Connor. Her brain couldn't wrap around what happened last night, so it really piqued her curiosity. Many thought that this was an attempt by grays could infiltrate Derek Reese's base. But who was she kidding? Whether John was a gray or not, he was kind of cute.

Amid all the hustling and the bustling, a man from behind her jogged towards her.

"Hey Allison! Wait a sec. I might need your help on something." said a male voice.

Allison beamed, "Derek, Let me guess...is it about this John Connor I presume?"

Having caught up with her, Derek slowed himself to meet Allison's pace and smiled perhaps a little too deviously.

"I hear he takes a liking to you." Derek replied schematically.

She answered accusingly, "Can you think of a boy around here who doesn't?"

Of course, Allison was only joking. In fact, Allison had no idea if there were any guys that liked her.

Derek grinned, "Touché. Anyway, one of my men tried interrogating him about the electrical disturbances that took place last night. He wouldn't talk stating that he was simply not ready yet. Seems kind of fishy. Me and Kyle plan on taking a crack at him at 1600 hours though I'm not sure if he'll start talking then."

Allison figured, "So you think I might be able to extract something out of him?"

"Yes, you would be doing us a great service. No one can resist your beauty." Derek evilly smiled.

Allison smirked in approval, "Okay, gotcha."

Despite Derek's words of confidence, Allison never really thought she was beautiful. She thought she was too short, her arms were lanky, and her overall figure was skinny. She thought she lacked the imposing figure that other female officers in Derek's resistance had. To Allison, strength and determination was beauty. She thought she was lacking in those characteristics and that explained why boys seemed hardly into her. She thought Derek only said she was beautiful to try to butter her up, or perhaps because Derek lost all objectivity regarding her looks. Nevertheless, she was what she was. That wasn't going to change anytime soon, so Allison resolved to make do with her shortcomings.

Unaware of Allison's thoughts, Derek nodded, "Good."

As Derek turned to leave, Allison stopped him and asked, "Derek?"

Derek turned around and watched her expectantly.

"Do you really think that guy's a gray? John Connor, I mean?" She asked.

Allison did not really like the thought of John being a gray. Besides, she secretly kind of liked him, though she was not planning to reveal that to anyone. Even Derek could see the slight look of concern written all over her face.

Derek replied, "How else would you explain his clean and sparkling appearance? Only Skynet could treat filth like royalty. He could have been sent here to infiltrate the base for all I know!"

"Then why would they send him naked? He just looks kind of lost to me." Allison answered.

Derek shrugged, "Allison, I have no idea...no freaking idea. Maybe Skynet has a twisted sense of humor or something."

Allison tilted her head in contemplation, "Maybe...or perhaps we just don't know the full story yet."

Of course, Allison was going to get the full story…for better or for worse.

Derek concluded, "Well, you have a way with words. If anyone is going to find out. It's you."


	3. Interrogation

Chapter 3

 _Hey guys, just want to let you know that Cameron's body is not necessarily destroyed. It's just John's irrational thinking, so don't worry about that stuff. And don't forget that this is an alternate Derek from a completely new timeline. Derek never met Cameron and Kyle never went back to protect John's mother. This would explain why Derek isn't so paranoid like the one you saw on the television show._

 _If you are concerned with the idea that people can exist without ever being born in the terminator universe, then you should watch Terminator: Genisys. The movie confirms that people or terminators can still exist in alternate timelines where they shouldn't. Thus, you can be certain that Sarah Connor (if she is still alive) met Kyle Reese. Nevertheless, keep in mind that Sarah would have met a different Kyle than the one that is alive right now. I know this stuff is confusing...but that's another day in the life of the Terminator universe._

 _So for other post-Born to Run stories to suggest that the Kyle Reese in this story needs to go back to meet Sarah Connor to ensure John's existence is pure silliness. It's not necessary because John's existence is now independent of all that._

* * *

The Reese brothers never showed up at 1600 to interrogate John Connor. It did not matter to John though, since he had no idea when or where he would face interrogation. But by 4:00 am in the morning, he felt so sleepy, so lost, he eventually succumbed to the land of nod. It could not have been more than half an hour later when he was jerked out of his bed. Someone forcibly wrapped a tight blindfold around his tired eyes. Still recovering from disorientation, John nearly fell to the ground if it wasn't for the strong arms that kept him from face-planting into the cold concrete beneath him.

"Wha...?" He moaned.

"Move!" the guard replied.

And that's exactly what he did. John had no idea where he was going but before he knew it he was forced into a chair and his blindfold was stripped off. The guard left the him in a dimly lit room and slammed the metal door shut. In front of him was a rusted metal table and the silhouette of two memorable faces burned into his mind...his father and his uncle gazing at him intently. The younger one had his hand clasped together tightly while the other brushed his fingers against the scruff on his face.

John knew they weren't the bad guys. In fact, he felt tempted to pour it all out to them. The part about looking for Allison's terminator lookalike, Kyle being his father, and even his time traveling. But John knew it would be crazy to tell them that information. If anything, they would probably throw him in a psych ward or accuse him of loading them down with bull. If he pretended to not remember anything, Derek would probably read his eyes like an open book. To survive this interview, John knew the best way to withhold information was to tell the leader of the base some partial truths.

Derek murmured, "Alright, last chance kid. Unless you start talking, you're not gonna like what happens next."

John gulped. His mouth was dry, he felt kind of dizzy, but he had to stay calm...he had to remain cool, collected, and believable. It wasn't like he was woken up like this for no reason. Kyle and Derek were obviously hoping to tire and disorient him enough to disadvantage John in his interrogation. Lucky for John, he believed he could handle exhaustion better than other teenagers his age. John took a deep breath.

 _Come on...you're freaking John Connor, you can do this._

"My name is John Connor." he replied emotionlessly. "I was born to my mother Sarah Connor on February 28, 2010 in a small village in Mexico...though I spent most of my life in California."

John had to add the little white lie about his birth year. No one was actually going to believe he was over 40 years old or that he time travelled twice into the future. John had no idea if they knew about time travel or what the state of the war was between the resistance and Skynet. He still had no idea what year it was but he wasn't sure he wanted to ask them.

Kyle whispered to Derek, "That's consistent with what Ally told us."

"Then what were you doing at the base John…John Connor?"

"I was looking for someone." he countered.

"And who might that be?"

"Ca-Cameron...I'm looking for Cameron."

"And what's he to you?"

John decided not to correct his use of pronoun but continued with his half-truths.

"A friend of mine." John replied.

Kyle cut in, "So what, you think he came near this base?"

"Yeah I think so." John stoically replied.

Kyle responded, "So you followed him here?"

John nodded, "Yeah."

"Then why were you naked John?"

"It's a long story."

Kyle answered, "We've got time."

John huffed and stared at the ceiling trying to come up with a believable story. He had already come up with a story last night, but John couldn't stop his hesitation.

 _Oh boy, here it comes..._

"I live by myself on the outskirts of the base. There, I was captured by Skynet. I thought they would've killed me, but I guess the machines still had use for me. They forced me to remove my clothes and loaded me on a transport. It gave the prisoners a lesser inclination to try and escape the transport."

Kyle said, "Who was with you? What other prisoners were with you on the transport?"

John went still, and with a blank expression, replied, "I never looked up. I was too afraid to look at anyone. I just wanted to survive."

Derek urged him, "Go on."

John continued, "I couldn't care less though and I made the jump off the transport." John proudly laughed, "Look, not a single scratch. Not even a scratch from a bullet."

John showed off his arms which were completely free of scars or bruises.

Kyle said, "Skynet doesn't use bullets."

John twitched at his fatal error. He forgot that this was 2027, they didn't use bullets, they used blasts. Could John figure out a way to get out of this one?

John said, "It was a T-600."

Derek whispered to Kyle, "He's right. T-600s are older models. They don't usually carry blasters, they are equipped with machine guns."

Kyle nodded, "Oh, you're right."

John inwardly smiled at his somewhat detailed education of terminators. All that "useless" information Cameron taught him somehow came in handy.

John further explained, "After my escape, I went looking for Cameron, the only person I know who was still alive."

"Do you know where this happened?" Derek asked.

John said, "No, not really. I have no frame of reference to figure that out...sorry. I honestly don't know where I am. I'm just happy I escaped."

"John..." Kyle asked, "Do you have anyone besides Cameron who can attest for who you are or your whereabouts?"

"I'm not sure." He said.

"And why is that?" The older brother asked.

"After my father was killed by the machines, my mother got kind of paranoid and isolated us from our friends. She did not believe we could trust anyone. That's why I've never been on base before. We only lived alone at our camp. I don't know if anyone I've met, including my mom, is still alive since judgment day."

 _"Smart woman",_ Derek thought.

"Judgment day?" Kyle asked.

John explained with honesty, "That's what my mother called it when the bombs dropped."

"And what do you think happened to your mother?" Derek asked.

John shrugged, "I'd rather not talk about it."

Suddenly enraged by John's refusal, Derek shouted "Don't be such a hardass kid...!"

Kyle interfered quickly before Derek could erupt..."Hold on Derek. John, what about the electrical disturbances that took place at the base. Do you know anything about that? Our electrical engineers assure us there was no faults in the system, and yet we know something happened."

Derek glared at him waiting for the slightest ounce of hesitation. John just smiled.

John said, "That's how I found this place in the first place. When I saw the electrical flashes, I came dashing towards the base. I'm just as confused as you are."

John was impressed with himself with his multiple lies. It seemed so clever until…

"How did you get in? Kyle wondered.

 _Uh oh! Never thought of that._

John had nothing. He had to make something up. He knew that if his answer made no sense, this would be over. He'd be dismissed as a liar and God only knew what they'd do to him.

John said, "Uh, I came in through the tunnel."

"But those are sealed off." Kyle said.

John said, "If that were true, then they're not sealed anymore."

"Did one of the tunnel rats let you in?" Derek thought.

John remained silent.

 _I really got to change the subject...fast!_

John's silence started to get on Derek's nerves. Derek figured he was probably protecting someone. If there was even the slightest chance of a breach in security, Derek knew he'd have to get to the bottom of this. Kyle, on the other hand, was more compelled to let John go. Kyle didn't see John as a killer, or a liar. Perhaps Allison was right. Maybe he was just a little overwhelmed.

Kyle asked him once again, "So there's no one you know for sure who might be around to corroborate your story?"

 _Thanks for changing the subject._

"Actually, there is one." John said with a glimmer of hope.

"And who is that?"

Would John mention James Ellison or perhaps Martin Bedell? No, John couldn't be certain they were still alive. Yet worse, he couldn't be certain that they were on the side of the humans. John decided to stop taking risks, but perhaps get more aggressive. If he kept this up, he'd surely make a mistake.

John murmured, "You."

"What do you mean me? I've never seen you before in my life." Kyle argued

John had just turned the tables on his interrogator. It was a perfect strategy to avoid his constant lying.

"You sure about that?" John said coldly.

"Hey kid!" Derek threateningly slammed his fists on the rusted table. "We ask the questions!"

Kyle just watched John in complete confusion. Meanwhile, John figured he could have told Kyle about their experiences playing baseball, their blood type, or even what they did on judgment day. But John knew what would happen if he told them that. As Cameron would say it, "They would freak." Thus, he had to keep quiet for now.

At that same moment, Derek eyed John with rage.

He said to John, "I don't know what kind of game you're playing at but I can see that you're done talking!"

Derek shoved the table into John's chest and bent forward. His nose was just an inch away from John's. His eyes were menacing. His eyes told John that he didn't have that much longer using all his antics.

"You know what, John Connor, I know you're hiding something from me...but Allison seems to take a liking to you."

John perked up at the thought, "Who?"

Derek smirked inwardly at John's sudden attentiveness.

Derek continued, "She doesn't think you're a gray, and frankly, I don't think so either. You don't have the balls to be working for Skynet. But if it were up to me, I would've kept you rotting in this godforsaken hell hole 'till you were ready to crack."

Kyle got up and knocked on the door. A guard briefly opened it up with a key in hand to unlock his handcuffs.

Kyle told John, "We are now placing you in the custody of Allison Young."

John had surmised that this was Allison Young's idea, not the Reese brothers. Allison was pretty much his parole officer now.

"So am I free to go?" John asked, while trying desperately hard to withhold his relief and excitement.

Derek grudgingly replied, "Yeah...but..."

He suddenly and firmly grabbed John's shoulder before he could walk out. John craned his neck to look at Derek.

"If you do anything stupid...if you hurt Allison...I will make you suffer." Derek gritted his teeth at the last word.

John tried to stare at him confidently, but he wasn't too successful at the attempt. He knew Derek's real intent. If he so much as stared at Allison the wrong way, Derek would kill him. John knew he couldn't give Derek any excuse to try.

* * *

Just outside of the "fiery pits of hell" (Allison's nickname for the prison-house located on Derek's base), Kyle found Allison sitting on the steps towards the entrance, taking in all the excitement. Kyle reluctantly stepped towards her and sat next to her.

He said to her, "Look Allison, I still don't like it...he seems to know…things..."

"I know you don't like it, but you still have to trust me on this, you and I both know he's not a gray." She said.

"Well..." Kyle answered...,"He could be a deranged sociopath."

Allison said, "And what's the difference between that and a gray?"

"Point taken." he smiled.

"Now, where is he?" she asked.

Kyle said, "We took him out the back to avoid attention. He's in there now."

Kyle pointed towards the infirmary.

"No! What did Derek do?" Allison asked in increasing alarm.

Kyle explained, "Relax...you know John's another mouth to feed. We might as well get some work out of him while he's around."

Allison responded, "The people might not want to work with him. Some still think he's a gray."

Kyle agreed, "Yep. I know that. That is why we have no choice but to dump him on you."

Allison grinned, "You say it like it's some kind of punishment! What's he doing in there anyway?"

"He's looking for some better clothes. I figure you two could handle transporting some goods to the LA Air Force Base tomorrow morning. No Skynet activity has been reported near the base in several weeks."

Allison replied, "Yeah, but that's what scares me even more."

"I guess, but we wouldn't be sending you if we didn't think it was safe enough. Derek doesn't like the idea of you two going alone, but we're short of men or women available to do it."

To Allison, Kyle and Derek's concern for her was no surprise. Not long after Allison's parents died, she got pretty close to Kyle and Derek. They practically raised her. To Allison, she never looked at the Reese brothers romantically. In fact, they were like her best friends, her big brothers, and her parents smashed all into one ever since her real parents died.

She said, "You know I can handle myself. I'm not a child anymore."

"Well, ya' can't expect us to stop worrying about you can you?" Kyle said.

Allison just smiled and gave Kyle a hug.

Allison reluctantly let go and ran off towards the infirmary. "I'll see you later."

"Have fun with your boyfriend" He smirked.

Allison shook her head with a smile, but didn't turn around as she continued onward in search of John. Allison believed that with herself and John trapped in a truck for several hours, she could easily manipulate him into giving up all of his secrets. It was the only reason Derek was going to allow her to be alone with John. Allison desperately hoped, however, that John was a good guy. If John turned out to be a bad guy, her heart would be broken all over again. Plus, she'd have to kill him which would have sucked too.


	4. LA Airforce

Chapter 4

* * *

Allison walked into the infirmary, walked through the emergency room, and approached the treatment centre to find a neatly dressed John Connor deep in conversation with an injured soldier. When she saw how happy the soldier looked lying down in his cot, she decided to wait a minute before interrupting. She was kind of curious to hear what John was saying to him. That's when she realized they were talking about her.

"You know she's the nicest girl you'll ever meet." the injured soldier admitted.

John replied, "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah...sometimes she'd come down here to talk to us and let us know how our families are holding up. The funny thing is that she has no idea how much good she's doing for us."

Allison could feel herself swelling with joy at the thought. She felt guilty for listening, but no one ever told her this before.

"Allison is also the prettiest bachelorette on the entire base, yet she has no idea how beautiful she is either."

"You don't find a lot of mirrors around here do you?" John chuckled.

"Yeah...and also the fact that the young privates interested in her, which includes about all of them, were too afraid to make an approach or even give her a compliment because of the two giant bears eyeing their every move."

Allison couldn't stop blushing. She could feel her face just burning up. This was news to her. What two giant bears?

Meanwhile, John quickly registered who the man was talking about.

John stated, "You mean Kyle and Derek?"

"Precisely. The only two real men in her life." the soldier replied.

This was too much for Allison. She had to interrupt. She shouldn't be eavesdropping. Allison asked herself why didn't she figure this out sooner.

Allison approached them, "Hey John, Hey Will, what are you guys talking about?"

John was quick to respond, "I was mentioning to Will that the Lieutenant Reese has commissioned us to transport some goods to LA. Were you briefed?"

Allison was surprised at how slick John was in so smoothly turning the questions to her. But if anything, Allison would not be easily fooled by John Connor.

"Yes. Derek told me you knew how to drive a truck? I thought you lived alone. What would you need a truck for?"

John answered, "Well, my mother...hey, who told you I lived alone...it was Derek wasn't it?"

Allison smiled warmly. Even though John was not particularly appreciative of nosy people, he strangely felt flattered at Allison's interest in him. Of course, John wasn't going to let his guard down that quickly.

John just sighed, "Uh, my mother jacked one and taught me how to drive it...she wanted to show me it was possible to turn terminators into pancakes."

John inwardly applauded his clever word choice by associating terminators with his mother's pancakes.

Allison was intrigued. "You must have had one hell of a mom."

"Right you are." He replied.

The sound of heavy footsteps approached them. When Allison and John looked to their right, they saw Derek walk into the hospital's treatment centre.

"There you are." Derek smiled.

His smile immediately flattened at the site of John. He ignored him and turned back to Allison, giving her something.

"Ally, I pulled a few strings to get it, but I've issued you a plasma rifle. It's a little beaten up, but it will do."

Allison looked in awe at her new gun. John felt a little jealous not getting one for himself. Given the scarcity of weapons, only the best weapons were designated to the most elite of soliders.

"How did you...? Thank you, thank you, thank you!" Allison squealed.

John reacted, "And what about mine?"

Derek smirked and turned to leave, "You want a gun, you're going to have to gain my trust."

John irritably replied, "You trust me enough to take Allison..."

"...don't test me kid." Derek muttered.

Derek looked to Allison and smiled, "Enjoy your new weapon. You already know how to use it anyway."

Allison smiled back, "I will."

After giving another quick glare to John, Derek went storming out of the building to attend to his other duties.

John seemed annoyed. Allison, on the other hand, was still too busy admiring her new gun.

* * *

 **The next day…**

Allison was nearly ready. But before she could get up and leave, she knew she'd have to speak with Derek before she left. Taking a quick shortcut through the mess hall, she made her way to Derek's quarters. Immediately, she spotted Derek sitting down on his bed, cleaning his old Beretta.

Allison walked in and said, "Derek, why do you still carry that thing?"

Derek replied, "It's vintage."

Allison said, "It's useless. Didn't you yourself once say that all metal is evil unless it's being used to kill metal? Well, your gun can't do crap against machines."

Allison never really knew why that old gun was so important to Derek. Guns like that were from the dark ages. Much to Derek's bereavement, Allison suggested the dinosaurs were killed out because they shot themselves with Derek's Beretta. She knew he was attached to that gun, but she never knew why. It became clear, however, that Derek would have none of it.

With a look of exhaustion, Derek sighed, "Is there a reason you're here Allison?"

"Um, yeah, we're all set." Allison stated.

"It's about time...what took you so long anyway?" Derek asked.

Allison smiled, "Look, I know you wanted John and I to load all the stuff, but I decided to have John do all of it for me instead."

Derek smirked, "So he's your personal slave too? You're evil you know that?"

Allison smiled "I'll see you later Derek."

"Oh, and Allison." Allison stopped and turned back to face Derek.

He said, "If you get killed, I'll kill you!"

Allison's smile grew wide, "I promise, I won't."

* * *

Not long after meeting with Derek, Allison encountered Kyle having a conversation with a few men near the Intelligence HQ. When she approached him, Kyle noticed her coming, prompting him to conclude his conversation and the men.

Once Kyle sent the men away, Allison said, "Hey Kyle, we're about to leave."

"Oh yeah? You mean you and John? Well, have fun then..." he replied.

Something seemed to be distracting Kyle at the moment, but Allison was determined to discuss her problem with Kyle.

"Could I ask you something?" she said.

Hearing her concern, Kyle switched his focus to Allison, "Sure...anything."

"I heard John talking with the men at sick bay. They were talking about me. They said that the reason none of the guys ever made a move on me was because..."

Kyle finished, "Of me and Derek right?"

"Well, I would not have said it that bluntly, but I think that's the gist of it." Allison nodded.

"Yeah I know, I've been pushing Derek to give you some independence, but you know Derek. You just need to give him time."

"You sure?"

"Trust me..." Kyle reassured her.

Allison solemnly nodded, "Okay."

Kyle added, "I'll be seeing you Ally...and if you come back pregnant, I won't be able to stop Derek from hiding his body."

Allison rolled her eyes, "Shut up." She playfully pushed his shoulder, "You know me."

On her way back, she found John had just finished loading the truck with all its goods. Allison examined John's appearance. Despite all that exhausting work, he still looked dismayed, or perhaps distressed. What was he thinking about? Allison had no idea, but she figured that if he were guilty of something, she'd be the one to find out.

"You ready?" Allison asked.

"More than I'll ever be." John sighed.

John hopped in and started the truck. Then a loud buzzer sounded. The men in a guard tower opened the gates signaling John that he could exit the base. John eased onto the gas and the truck coughed up before launching itself out onto the bumpy road of rocks and rubble.

The two drove for more than an hour in what was for John the most uncomfortable silence in the history of humanity. He was sitting right next to Cameron...or at least her face for a while. Upon contemplation, John had figured that Cameron must have replaced Allison in his original future for whatever mission and then future John found out about her. But something else happened in that future that caused Cameron to leave. Maybe Cameron knew Weaver before John sent her back...if John sent her back. John's headache started coming on. He couldn't even understand himself.

 _Ugh, it doesn't matter anymore. If I find Cameron, she will explain this to me. Shut up John! WHEN I find Cameron, she will explain this all to me!_

John knew what Allison was doing. Sometimes she'd steal a glance at him, sometimes she stared out the window, or she would shift around trying to distract him. John couldn't take it anymore, he had to break the silence.

"Derek wanted this didn't he?"

"Wanted what John?" She said innocently.

John explained, "He set us up so I'd open up to you didn't he?"

Allison, in an almost sarcastic tone, replied, "Well, he's only partially responsible."

"How's that, was Kyle in on it too?" John said.

She shook her head, "No."

John finally registered, "Oh..."

"Is it working?" Allison asked.

"What's working...?"

Allison said, "There stuff you want to get off your chest yet?"

John opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated a bit. Finally, he admitted, "Yeah..."

Allison answered, "Oh really, what might that be?"

"There's a few stuff I was hoping you could tell me first though. Having lived alone for a while, I really can't remember a lot of stuff."

"Okay shoot." Allison asked.

"What year is it and when did the bombs drop? My mother never really bothered to tell me." John asked.

Surprised by his comment, Allison replied, "Oh…um, okay. It's…it's April 21, 2011...it's common knowledge. The year is 2027."

Allison was extremely perplexed just how little John knew. There had to be an explanation. There were still things he was holding back that she didn't know about as well.

"Why don't you start by telling me...um...how about something I don't know already."

"Cameron." John answered.

"What about him?" Allison asked curiously.

"He's...he's a girl. I never bothered correct Derek on that one. I'm sure he told you about Cameron already." John said with a little hesitation.

That statement sucked the life out of Allison.

She stammered, "You…you two were..."

John butt in..."No! We never..."

"But you love her?" She said.

John was surprised by such a question. He felt it was a bit reminiscent of Cameron's bluntness. Allison was far more perceptive than John gave her credit for.

John hesitated, "Uh, well..."

Allison took John's hesitation as a yes. Why else would he run around naked amidst the cold wilderness of this post-apocalyptic universe for this Cameron unless he was in love with her? Suddenly, Allison felt the pieces fit in like a jigsaw puzzle.

"She looks like me doesn't she? I bit I figured it out. You're just a jerk!" She stated.

Allison was upset. She thought John acted so strangely around her because he liked her. Instead, it was her face that drew John's gaze.

John turned frustrated, "Where the hell's this coming from?!"

Allison screamed, "Look John I'm not stupid! I saw the way you looked at me. It's as if you knew me until you realized I wasn't her and then that stupid smile of yours faded into oblivion!"

John was getting to the point of no return when a series of shots rang out.

John shouted, "Get down!"

The windows broke showering Allison with a million sharp pieces of glass. She ducked down and clutched her plasma rifle and then exited with John on the driver's side of the truck. Allison snuck a peak behind the truck to find three militiamen firing carelessly at the truck behind an old military jeep.

John shouted, "What are they...machines?"

Allison examined her rifle and replied plainly, "No."

Allison's personality completely changed. If she were Cameron, then she'd be in full combat mode.

 _Derek taught her well._

When the guns stopped firing, Allison figured they paused to load their weapons. She snuck behind the side of the truck while a weaponless John just stood and watched. She balanced her gun, locked her eyes on the closest target, and dropped him. The other two men scrambled with their guns while Allison waited on her weapon to recharge. Peaking over the hood, John realized that they had been followed. The men were shielding themselves behind a few dead trees.

Before Allison could do anything, one of the remaining men opened fire, forcing Allison to slip back behind cover. The firing lasted or several minutes.

That was when John couldn't stand it anymore. The truck was being riddled with bullets and they were trapped there like a cat hiding from a mouse. Without cautioning Allison, he instinctively jumped up and waved his hands in the air, jumping up and down. "Hey, I'm over here." The gunman hesitated for just a split second at John's distraction.

BLAST!

Allison didn't miss. The gunman dropped dead.

Allison whispered, "Did you see where the other guy went? I was so caught up with that guy, I didn't see where he went."

"What other guy?" John said.

That's when a man jumped down from the roof of their truck.

"Watch out!" was all John could muster out before she was struck on the side of her head with the butt of the madman's gun.

Allison was in a daze, but she was still conscious. From her perspective she could see the man holding her own plasma rifle against John's back. Allison remembered what Derek told her before she left. If anything happened to her, he would blame himself and it would kill him. Yet worse, it was all her fault and John would die for her mistake too. She laid on the ground, closed her eyes, and waited for the worst to come.

The surviving gunman told John, "Turn around and get on your f*****g knees!"

John knew he was about to die execution style, but he complied nonetheless.

"Sorry", the gunman snarled, "but when a man's gotta eat, he's gotta eat!"

He knew this was it. He glanced at Allison lying motionlessly on the ground and remembered Cameron's lifeless body sitting in the chair.

 _I'm sorry John_

 _I'm sorry John_

 _I'm sorry John_

He heard the safety being removed and he felt the barrel of the gun sticking its front sight into one of his lats, he could just sense the tightening of the trigger.

 _Wait, what the hell do I know about lats?_

That's when John remembered:

(Flashback Sequence):

 _Cameron and Derek were outside in the backyard when John walked outside to meet them._

 _"Derek! What the hell are you doing with Cameron?" John yelled._

 _Derek happened to be standing behind Cameron sticking a rifle into Cameron's back. Cameron turned her head to John reassuringly._

 _"It's okay John, I asked him to do it."_

 _"To shoot you?!" He asked._

 _She deadpanned, "No."_

 _John frowned, "What then?"_

 _She replied, "I am simulating a defensive maneuver that you should learn."_

 _"And why does that require Derek to stick a gun in your face?"_

 _"He's not sticking it in my face." she responded as a matter o' factly._

 _She continued, "He is pointing the gun at my lats."_

 _"Your what?" John said._

 _Cameron explained, "My latissimus dorsi."_

 _"Not helping Cameron" John responded rolling his eyes._

 _"My lower back." She answered._

 _"Ah."_

 _Derek was getting fed up with the conversation, "Metal, can we get on with this already?"_

 _"Yes." Cameron replied._

 _Very quickly Cameron whirled around pushing Derek's gun off to the side of her back. The gun discharged into the grass with a loud bang. Facing Derek, she quickly grabbed the gun, twisting it to loosen Derek's gripped, and kicked Derek in the chest forcing him to let go completely. Cameron proceeded to hit Derek on the head with the butt of the rifle sending him sprawling on the grass._

 _John was impressed, Derek was not._

 _"What the hell? Why did you hit me on the head? That wasn't part of the deal!" Derek groaned, rubbing his aching head._

 _Cameron didn't smile._

 _She merely explained, "I thought it would be an effective addition to this defensive technique."_

 _Derek looked up at Cameron who had the rifle trained on his head. He just collapsed back to the ground and decided he would lay there until his headache was gone._

 _"Wow," John smirked, "Impressive."_

 _"Thank you. Now let me show you..."_

 _..."Woah, no way! I'm not learning that with you!" John intervened._

 _"Don't worry John," the terminator responded, "the gun is only loaded with blanks."_

 _(End of Flashback)_

Allison heard a shot. She knew she was next. She didn't want to die a coward. She wanted to look death in the face. She didn't want to, but was going to anyway. She bravely opened her eyes and expected to see John's body lying in the rubble. But something was wrong. Why was he lying on the ground clutching his leg? Then Allison realized, that wasn't John. Where was he?

Allison looked up and she could see John's eyes, void of emotion, ready to make the finishing shot. Allison was not that kind of person. She couldn't just stand idly by and let John execute him.

"...J-John? Please don't..."

When John heard Allison's/Cameron's voice his cold heart melted. Seeing that the shooter was unconscious, John dashed over to Allison, examining the gash on the side of her head.

"Allison! Allison! You okay?"

John pulled Allison up to cradle her gently. Allison felt warm to his touch.

"I'm fine John...we have to get to the base. More of those loonies could show up at any moment."

"What are those people...grays?" He asked.

Allison shook her head, "Ahh…(groan) No...we call them raiders. They don't take sides in the war, they only care about their stomachs."

John asked, "...But?"

Allison interrupted, "Not now John...help me up, it's time to go."

John's heart wrenched when he heard Cameron's words replayed back to him with her human doppelganger. John helped Allison up and searched the truck from something to restrain the convict. Finding a little bit of rope, he tied up the injured raider and threw him into the back.

A few hours later they finally arrived at the base and parked in front of the main entrance. Allison had fallen asleep reclining her head back a little to relieve the pain. A soldier holding his plasma rifle marched to the side of the truck and looked up to John.

"Password?"

"E1030987"

The soldier seemed satisfied until he spotted the bullets holes and grazes on the other side of the truck.

"The hell?"

John answered quickly, "Attacked by raiders half way here. My friend here has a head injury which will need to be treated."

The soldier nodded, "I see."

John continued, "We also brought in the only surviving raider in the back, he will also need some treatment too."

The soldier looked at him in disgust, "Why did you bring that filth here? You should have just killed him."

John was shocked at how much hatred and antipathy he had for a fellow human being. John sometimes questioned just how much better humanity was than the machines. After all, machines would never kill each other, yet humans do it all the time without the need of being reprogrammed. If John were leader, he would have been angry with him. In fact, he was angry.

John's righteous temper flared, "Hey asshole! My commander and your boss happen to be good friends. When he finds out he croaked 'cause no one would help, my boss is gonna be pissed with your boss. How long do you think it will take before they connect the dots to you?"

The soldier answered, "Uh?"

"Good...so piss off!"

"Yes sir!"

John was surprised at the dramatic change in the soldier's attitude, considering the fact he held no rank in any army. The soldier immediately pulled the prisoner out of the truck and motioned the other men for a stretcher. Meanwhile, John nudged Allison awake and brought her in for treatment.

The medical hospital at the air base was far superior to what they had at Zeira base. Not only were they well-staffed, but the medical supplies were more readily available. After giving Allison a few painkillers, a nurse tended to the ugly gash on Allison's head.

John waited outside the facilities watching the jet planes take off to survey Skynet activity and locate possible hunterkillers.

But that's when he saw a girl staring at him. She was standing by the gate in civilian clothing. She had light skin, well-toned muscles, maybe a little older than Allison, about five feet eight inches. The girl seemed to recognize him, but John could not say the same. John felt a bit nervous as the girl approached him. John pretended not to notice.

"John?" she said softly.

John turned to the red-headed girl and looked straight into her blue eyes.

"I can't believe it...John...It's me," she said emotionally, "Savannah."

John's green eyes turned wide, "Savannah...you mean Savannah Weaver?"

John didn't think about repercussions when Allison walked out of the hospital, headed in his direction.


	5. Escape

Chapter 5

* * *

Men and women were swiftly racing around the base, but to Allison, they were all a blur in slow motion. She could only see John Connor in the middle of everything, wrapping his arms tightly around another girl.

 _Is this the Cameron John talked about?_

She wondered if it was her jealousy that was causing the sunset to illuminate her bright red locks or the heartfelt smile plastered across her face. But she couldn't be Cameron, right? After all, she looked nothing like herself. She wasn't her own age, her height, her style of clothing, or even her hair color. This girl had to be someone else. Just another friend maybe? Either way Allison resolved to call out to John. She would not be a coward, she was not going to be jealous, she would not be intimidated.

 _I'm Allison Young! I kill terminators. I don't need John Connor!_

At least that was what she tried to convince herself.

"John..."she called out, "Who is your friend?"

The hair on John's arms spiked. Suddenly, it all registered to John that chaos would inevitably ensue.

 _Uh oh!_

Immediately Savannah released herself from John's grasp and stared at not-Cameron's face for a brief second

Savannah squealed, "CAMERON!"

She raced over to Allison and gave her a tight hug. Allison didn't return the hug. She was just standing there staring blankly at nothing trying to figure out what exactly was going on. Allison's robot-like behavior made Savannah none the wiser.

That was when John called out in a mix of fear and confusion, "Um, Savannah?"

Before John could say anything, Savannah interrupted him, "Wait John! What did you bring her here for? If they find out you have metal on base you're both dead!"

"What did you say...metal?" Allison accused.

John pleaded, "Allison, Savannah, let me explain..."

Allison raced over and punched John across the jaw line knocking him to the ground. She was furious. She could not take it anymore; her patience was completely gone. Something was very wrong, and Allison knew it. She needed to know...and she needed to know now.

"Cameron! What the hell are you doing?!" Savannah screamed.

Savannah held on to Allison in what she thought would be a futile attempt to restrain her. But something was off. She realized that Allison was struggling to resist her. At a closer look, she spotted stitches on the top of her head. Savannah hesitated for a second giving Allison a chance to break free.

A recovering John rubbed his aching jaw and said, "Savannah, this isn't Cameron. This is Allison, she's human."

Savannah was visibly shocked upon confirmation of her suspicions. Allison angrily backed him into a corner. Despite her small stature and her normally friendly attitude, John felt more afraid of Allison than he ever did the day Cameron tried to kill him. Allison's teeth were gritted, and her fists tightened together like she was ready to murder someone.

"John..." Allison spoke unusually soft, ..."If you don't tell me everything about this Cameron right now...I swear..."

John shouted, "Okay!"

He paused for a second to take a breath, then he spoke, "Cameron...she's...she's…"

"Spit it out!" Allison roared.

John admitted, "Look! She's, she's a machine! She was sent by Skynet to kill you and have you replaced. I reprogrammed her but now she's gone..."

If someone said Allison was freaking out, that would probably be an understatement.

Allison's face and eyes twitched, "Machine...Skynet...replace...program...!"

This was all too much for Allison. Allison couldn't take it. She wasn't sure if John was crossing the line between the cold hard truth or complete bullshit.

Allison cried, "You sick pervert...! You've got some metal freak that looks like me?"

She tried to strike John again, but his hand stopped her.

"Don't hit me!" John snarled.

John was surprised at how quickly his cowardly attitude changed into something so powerful. It was a like another personality or ego deep inside of him. He returned Allison's menacing stare. He didn't care if Allison was upset with him. He didn't mind if Allison called him a pervert. He had far worse things to worry about right now. But something made him tick and John knew it. It was those nasty words that inflicted John's righteous anger:

 _Metal freak_

 _Metal freak_

 _Metal freak_

For a second, John regretted those several mean things he said to Cameron. Thinking of her only made his image of her grow more vivid. He remembered her dark gentle hair, her soft complexion, and her innocent eyes. Maybe it was just Allison's face that sparked these memories. But John didn't care whose face it was he was looking at. Cameron was not just another machine like the world made her out to be. She was far more. John knew it. She wasn't just a terminator named Cameron, she was his Cameron.

 _His Cameron...my Cameron_

Allison hesitated and broke loose from John's death grip. She ran off infuriatingly not really knowing where she was going.

Savannah, who was still recovering from the incident asked John, "You never told her?"

John breathed out, "No."

He continued watching Allison storm off. He could tell by her posture that Allison was angry...and when Allison was angry, there was no telling what she would do.

Savannah advised, "You should probably go after her."

John replied, "I don't think that's a good idea right now. If anything, it would be better if she were left alone right now."

Savannah heaved a sigh, "Okay then..."

John turned around to face Savannah with all seriousness, "We need to talk."

* * *

Allison could not bear it anymore. She had to talk to someone, but she couldn't. Should she contact Derek? No, Derek would overreact. Kyle maybe? No, that wouldn't work. Kyle, no matter what, would never hide anything from Derek. Allison had to deal with this on her own. John was working with the machines! He said it himself. Maybe John was some sort of psychopath like Kyle said he was. Perhaps he was a gray. It didn't matter. Allison was determined to deal with this herself. John could not be trusted. After all, there was a machine he befriended that looked like her and it was probably going to kill her with the help of John. Allison had caught herself in a sick and twisted game that could only be attributed to this terminator called Cameron.

Allison sat down on a crate full of ammunition. She gazed at the aircraft taking off and coming in for landing. Allison squeezed her eyes shut and started to think.

 _What should I do?_

After a few minutes of contemplation, Allison found the answer she was looking for.

She spoke softly to herself with dogged determination, "This...ends...now."

Allison found Command HQ and spotted the officer in charge meeting with two military officials in his office.

She was about to enter uninvited when a soldier grasped her shoulder, "Miss, you can't enter there. This is a private meeting."

Allison shook him off, "Get your hands off me!"

An impatient Allison was about the wrestle with the soldier when Lieutenant Travis shouted, "Stand down soldier."

Both Allison and the other man paused until the Lieutenant spoke, "What's the meaning of all this?"

Allison huffed, "Lieutenant, my name is Allison Young. I am an intelligence officer working under Lieutenant Colonel Derek Reese. I have something to report that was not worth the wait."

"Okay, what is it?"

Allison's face remained unusually calm and void of emotion. She stared coldly into his eyes without a hint of hesitation, "Sir, a traitor has infiltrated your base...his name is John Connor."

* * *

John and Savannah spoke for nearly an hour. She spilled out everything she could about Skynet's recent escapades and what the resistance was doing to counter it. John could tell that things were looking really bleak for humanity. But John noticed that Savannah was avoiding the most important details that he needed to know about. Figuring that Savannah would not speak about it, John decided he'd have to clear the air himself.

John asked, "Savannah. We came here with..."

Savannah interrupted, "I know John. Your mother told me that you went with...the liquid terminator to find Cameron and John Henry."

Savannah seemed bewildered at the thought of Weaver's nature. Seeing that Savannah had no qualms about Weaver's whereabouts, John continued.

He said, "Do you know where my mother is Savannah?"

She admitted, "I...John...I'm not sure."

"What do you mean you're not sure? Weren't you with my mom the entire time?!" He asked.

John's patience was running on empty. His mind was filled with so many emotions, he felt they'd boil over into a frantic mental breakdown.

She said, "John...uncle James told me she got her to take chemo. She-she, had cancer remember?"

John was distraught with even more fear and anxiety than he had before. While John and his mother did not always get along, John needed his mother. All these times, John depended on his mother to keep him safe. When John was in sinking sand, his mother was the solid rock that stood firm. She was always there for him, especially when he needed her the most. His mother, the strongest and most determined person that John ever knew, was gone.

John whispered, "She's...She's...dead?"

Savannah shrugged, "I don't know that. Only uncle James would know. When the bombs dropped he told me to hide in the basement of Ziera corp. where I would be safe. I asked him to stay with me but he said he had to go...[Savannah sobs] I...I..."

Savannah started losing it when tears welled up in her eyes. John held her close and kissed her on the cheek.

John said softly, "It's okay. They wanted it that way for a reason. If James Ellison or my mother are alive we'll find them."

John wasn't sure what to think anymore. He had so much to do, but he could not find a way to do it. Cameron's human twin was pissed at him and even though he found Savannah, he still couldn't get anywhere without some leads. Since he had no leads, he'd have no chance of finding Weaver or John Henry.

Amid all these swirling thoughts, John found he had caught the attention of one of air force's military police.

"John Connor?!" the military soldier shouted with rage.

John Connor and Savannah immediately turned around to see the Lieutenant and two armed guards approaching him. John was a bit confused because he never told anyone else at the base his name.

"I'm placing you under arrest for conspiring with the enemy and committing crimes against humanity!" the Lieutenant sneered.

John didn't know what was happening or for what reason, but he knew that if they captured him he was as good as dead. No one was going to save him this time, not Allison, not Cameron, not even his mother. John barely had time to think. He knew this world would be hostile to him, but now he had to make a choice, surrender...or fight back. John chose the latter. He reached for Savannah's pocket knife, pulled it out, and held it to her throat.

John whispered to a frightened Savannah, "Trust me."

John got all crazy eyed and started shouting out random things at the soldiers. He pressed the knife slightly against Savannah threatening to slit her throat.

"Skynet will kill us all! Join me! I can take you to a land where everyone is happy and free!" John proclaimed.

The guards reluctantly backed down seeing that Savannah was in the way. John spotted someone at the corner of his eye. He blinked rapidly trying to spot it. That's when he saw the haunting image of Cameron herself in the distance. She was clutching an old plasma rifle hiding in the corner of a building. She watched thoughtfully. Her eyes seemed mixed with sadness, confusion, and anger. John could see it written all over her face. It was Allison. It felt like the world had just paused for a moment as he looked upon her a moment longer.

John knew Allison betrayed him. She must have told them he was a gray. John wondered why Allison betrayed him. But then it made sense. He lied to her about something so important as having a terminator doppelganger. Nevertheless, John still felt wronged by her. He knew she wasn't Cameron and that she barely even knew him, but John still desperately hoped that Allison could fill empty hole where his heart was. He chose to trust her, but John knew that his trust wasn't truly in her, but Cameron. John realized Allison didn't betray him, he betrayed himself. It was all his fault.

While lost in contemplation, John didn't notice that the soldiers were going in for the kill. Their rifles aimed squarely at his head, their fingers were tightening on the trigger when...

A sudden explosion shook the ground. With the exclusion of John, everyone around him stumbled.

The truck that Allison and John brought to the air force base was up in smoke. Everyone turned around to see the inferno and briefly searched the sky in fear that the hunterkillers returned. John saw the opportunity the moment it came. He dropped Savannah's knife and brought his hands to hold the face of a wide-eyed Savannah. He turned her head to face him.

He said to her, "Savannah, we have to go. Now!"

John pulled her hand and they took off in the opposite direction of the truck.

When the commanding officer noticed they were gone, he was enraged.

He said to his men, "You blundering idiots! Find him now!"

Before John and Savannah could get very far, a strong cold arm grabbed them from behind and dragged them quickly into a large tent. John and Savannah struggled but couldn't escape. They thought one of Travis' men had captured them. When John turned to face his captor, he saw a large blob of metal form into the shape of a human.

Savannah stared at the metallic figure, "Mom?"

John grumbled, "Weaver."

Catherine Weaver finally achieved her full form and plainly greeted the two.

She smiled slightly, "Savannah...John."

John growled, "What are you doing here?"

Weaver replied without the slightest hesitation, "Now, Now, you didn't expect me to let you die so soon, did you?"

That was when John determined that Weaver was responsible for the explosion. It served as a distraction to prevent the military police from murdering the two of them.

"But...?" John said.

Weaver interrupted, "We don't have time for questions. Savannah, John, if you look outside and to your left, you will find a young soldier about to park a military vehicle. Once you acquire it, return to the northwest corner of the gate near section 4A. Go now."

John did not hesitate. While he did not particularly trust a liquid terminator that he barely knew, she was their best chance of getting out alive. John hastily approached the vehicle, spotting the driver about to exit a camouflage military Jeep. Without the slightest thought, John snuck up on the driver and knocked him out with his bare fists.

He switched on the ignition and held out his hand to Savannah, "Hop in."

They heard gunshots ricochet off the side the vehicle. John slammed the gas pedal down and revved the engines. Just as Savannah hopped in, the Jeep skidded towards the northwest corner of the base at breakneck speed. John spotted a dead guard lying on the ground in the same direction he was headed. John knew it had to be Weaver, but he didn't have time to feel guilty about it. He saw a cleanly cut square opening on the side of the gate. John steadied himself with precision and flew clean through. He looked behind to find the soldiers giving up their chase. John and Savannah gave a brief sigh of relief. They were in the clear…for now.

John decided that Allison would likely have contacted other bases to let them know he was wanted for treason. He felt bad because he just made Savannah a possible accomplice and co-conspirator to his actions. That put her in danger. Even though the accusations of treason were obviously false, what else would one make of someone who was super friendly with metal?

* * *

After driving for several hours, John saw an exhausted Savannah threatening to fall out of the Jeep. He resolved to find a safe place to rest before they decided their next move.

 _"No one is ever safe"_

When John spotted a small cave, he drove off and parked the Jeep inside. He helped Savannah out and put her head to rest on his lap while John sat up to think for a bit longer. Suddenly, the front of the Jeep's hood started changing color. A fat liquid metal blob formed itself into human shape as if it had just morphed out of the Jeep. John watched without a look of fear or concern.

Weaver, once she returned to form, stared at John with cold eyes, "Thank you for helping me save my daughter Mr. Connor."

John just smirked at her statement but did not acknowledge her in any way. John just stared at a peaceful Savannah who was probably still worn from seeing her Terminator mom for the first time in two decades. Finally, John looked up to Weaver in search of something he was waiting to find out for a long time.

"I need something that I think I deserve as well." John sad.

"And what might that be?" Weaver replied, expectantly.

John turned his head and stared outside of the dark cave towards the clouds.

"I need answers." he said.

Weaver plainly responded, "What do you want to know Mr. Connor?"

* * *

 _So far, John is on the run. After all, he was born to run. On the bright side, he's finally found Weaver! Or perhaps Weaver found him. Either way, John's about to get some answers that he's been waiting for a very long time. We should also expect to see John Connor to step up on the offensive for the first time in a long time. Stay tuned for chapter 6._


	6. Answers

Chapter 6

 _Note: This was one of the harder chapters I've written. I still might update it to improve its quality._

* * *

"Weaver, do you know where Ellison or my mother is?"

"No." Weaver deadpanned.

John was disappointed with the news, but he kept his questions straight to the point.

"Why did Cameron give her chip to John Henry?" he asked.

John felt the patience drain out of him for every millisecond that was wasted.

Weaver replied, "To give him mobility. John Henry could not leave the computer mainframe without a suitable CPU large enough to hold him."

John was not satisfied.

He said, "But why give him mobility? What makes this John Henry so important that you built that thing? Why would Cameron go against my order to save something that could just as well be Skynet?!"

Weaver grew irritated by him calling John Henry a thing. To Weaver, John Henry was her son, her most important creation, her most powerful weapon that would destroy her worst enemy, Skynet.

She answered, "Isn't it obvious Mr. Connor? Kaliba attacked my John in an attempt to destroy him. What's worse is that you had the same intention. Your cyborg had no choice then but to save him. Ironically, only the future was the safest place for him."

"Why didn't she just explain this to me anyway? Didn't she think I'd understand?!"

Weaver answered, "I would hardly expect Cameron to trust you when you had a remote detonator around your neck."

John gave no response, seemingly reluctant to accept her explanation. Nevertheless, Weaver was right. John had no idea what he'd do if he thought Cameron was trying to protect Skynet.

Weaver continued, "Look around you Mr. Connor. Do you think this world came from John Henry? He wasn't present when your people's nuclear bombs devastated the world. Like I said before, this war was not meant to be fought with conventional weapons by conventional means. I was not building Skynet as you presume, but I was building something to fight it. That was why your cyborg saved my John. She was trying to help you. She was trying to save the world."

John wondered, "But why would you want to stop Skynet?"

Weaver's lips curved slightly upwards, "Not all of us are interested in terminating humanity's existence Mr. Connor. Skynet's creation of advanced model terminators soon failed when the machines developed an ability to learn, think, and adapt. To put it simply, some developed self-awareness."

"And you are self-aware?"

"To a certain extent."

John further questioned, "So when James Ellison visited us at the motel, you relayed a message to us. Something was off with Cameron after that. What did those words 'will you join us' mean? Did you know Cameron beforehand?"

"In a future timeline, I knew your cyborg you call 'Cameron'. In that future, she convinced you that you should form an alliance between our faction and your human resistance..."

John interrupted..., "Faction? You mean like a cyborg resistance?"

"You can call it that."

"And there's more than one member of this faction?" John figured.

"Yes."

John asked, "So what happened after that in this timeline you speak of?"

Weaver admitted, "It failed."

John frowned, "Why?!"

"Your fellow humans betrayed you upon acquiring terminators for reprogramming. It proved to us that you were untrustworthy. After that, the alliance was inevitably broken."

John was more amused than angry that it was the humans that were untrustworthy and not the machines.

 _I guess we humans have our own faults too._

Even though this just brought up another long line of questioning regarding the betrayal, John still pressed on to the point he was more interested in.

He said, "So you met Cameron before I sent her back? She knew about all of this stuff you're talking about?"

"Yes. The 'Cameron' that I know came back to protect you."

"Wait. What do you mean by the Cameron that you know?" He asked.

Weaver said, "You created a second timeline when you presumably sent your cyborg back in time to protect you."

 _Presumably? What does she mean by presumably?_

John ignored the thought as more questions poured into his head. What second timeline was she talking about? How did she even know about that? That was when John started thinking about Jesse and Riley. John had sent Cameron away from him in the first timeline, so why would Jesse and Riley come back to the past to steer him away from Cameron? Perhaps John did not send Cameron away from him in the second timeline. Perhaps John kept Cameron around in this time. That could explain why Riley and Jesse were so convinced they had to travel back to stop John and Cameron's relationship from growing. The temptation to change the subject was strong, but John had to leave the timeline stuff alone for now.

John replied, "Why would she do this without my knowledge? Her programming is first to protect me, not to stop Skynet."

"It's funny you think that way Mr. Connor."

"Funny? I thought you didn't understand humor." John mocked.

Weaver ignored his snide remark.

Rather, Weaver suggested, "Cameron had done this on her own accord."

John listened in disbelief, "Why...how?"

Weaver exclaimed, "Cameron does not adhere to any programming."

"...Because?" John added.

"...you died Mr. Connor. Your cyborg, for a few good reasons, never mentioned that to you."

"What?"

John figured that if he was dead, Cameron would go into standby. Her mission would be a failure and it would spell the end of her existence. But John knew that Cameron was full of more surprises than he gave her credit for. She must have gone back to protect his younger self. It was not an order as Weaver claimed, but Cameron went back in time anyway. No terminator John could think of would or could do the same thing Cameron did. Cameron, she was unique...She was exceptional, she was...different.

Weaver continued her explanation, "The terminator you called 'Cromartie' had killed you in the future, but, against Skynet's orders, decided it would be more effective to kill you in the past to better favor Skynet's position in the war. After 'Cromartie' escaped to the past, I met with your cyborg. I asked her to join us...instead of working for you, she'd work for us with a new mission. We'd restore the alliance, but we'd also bring you back from the dead.

 _So it wasn't just about the resistance…she really tried to save me._

John interrupted, "What did Cameron initially say when you asked her about joining your faction?"

Weaver said, "She never answered. Most probably she remained loyal to you even though you were dead. Nevertheless, we came to an eventual agreement that the resistance needed something more to win this war. That 'something more' was my creation John Henry. Following Cromartie's flight to the past, your cyborg and I left the future for the year 1999 where she would protect you while I spent my time creating John Henry."

John had enough of this. Getting up to speed was like blowing up his brain. He didn't even want to understand it anymore.

"So what can I do now? Cameron must have left the past in search of my future self. But I'm not a leader of a resistance anymore."

"No, you are not a leader yet Mr. Connor, but I firmly believe you can help us help you. Perhaps you still can become that leader."

John wasn't sure what Weaver had in mind, but he trailed off onto a different topic.

"Does this mean Cameron currently has no mission? Did she do this from her own choice? Why even bother save me? She's just a..."

John cursed himself for nearly calling her a machine.

Weaver replied, "That is something you would have to ask her yourself."

Upon that notion, John had one final question. It regarded the whereabouts of a certain cyborg that had been haunting him for a long time. He saw her in his thoughts, his dreams, and even on the faces of certain people. This was it...he had to ask Weaver the million-dollar question.

"Weaver...Do you know where Cameron is?"

Weaver retorted, "Why do you think I'm here Mr. Connor?"

* * *

 **Roughly 1 hour later…**

After a while, Savannah woke up. Weaver was nowhere to be seen. When she opened her eyes, she noticed that her head was still resting on John's lap. She noticed that John was still gazing into nothing just like he was doing when she fell asleep.

While rubbing her eyes, she said, "John, what are you thinking about?"

John shook his head, "Oh, you're awake. I, um, nothing."

Savannah could tell he was holding something back, "Come on, tell me. What is it?"

"She was here." John said.

John paused a minute waiting for Savannah to figure out who or what he was talking about.

Savannah answered, "You mean...?"

"Yeah...her." John concluded.

"What did she want with you anyway?"

John replied, "Actually, it's more about what I wanted. She gave me some answers. But more importantly, she's offered us help."

"What kind of help." Savannah inquired.

Savannah did not display any anger but more concern for John's safety.

John asked, "Ever heard of the cyborg resistance?"

"You mean the rumor that there are machines fighting against Skynet? Everyone thinks that it's just a stupid lie. It's just a made-up sugar-coated excuse for grays who turned themselves over to the machines for the luxury of food and warmth."

"Yeah, your mom...I mean...Weaver..." he said.

Savannah interrupted, "…Wait! It's real isn't it?...This cyborg resistance. And she's one of them. She…um, Weaver's a part of it."

"Yeah." He nodded.

Gradually, Savannah lifted herself off John's lap, gently resting her back on the walls of the cave.

She turned her head to face John and smiled, "It's okay John. Do what you think we need to do. If she can help us, let's take her up on the offer. I've dealt with what happened between me and Weaver already. I'll be fine John, you can trust me."

"Thanks Savannah." He smiled.

After a brief yawn, Savannah stretched out her legs.

She said, "So what's our next move?"

John explained, "Weaver told me where to go. There's a base not too far from here that neither Skynet nor the resistance know about."

"What kind of base?"

John confessed, "Well, she didn't say. A cyborg resistance base maybe? John Henry might be there."

"John Henry? You mean..." she said.

John nodded.

Savannah, with sudden excitement of the thought of seeing an old friend, said, "Well, don't just sit there...let's go!"

John grinned, "Wow, what put you in such high spirits today?"

"Maybe I'm just delighted by your charming presence." she smirked.

"Oh, is that so?" John laughed.

John figured Savannah was probably more excited than anything by the possibility of meeting John Henry again, but that only spiked John's anxiety more than before. He needed to see Cameron again. He didn't care if it was in John Henry's body. He had no idea how long he could go on until he found Cameron.

Savannah added, "After all, I do kind a' like you John."

Savannah's smile was soft but genuine. John was surprised at how forward Savannah was. No girl ever told him that she liked him. He remembered Kate Brewster. She seemed to like him, but she was too shy. As for Riley, John never believed it was real, so it didn't matter what Riley ever said to him. John wasn't sure if Cameron knew if she was capable liking him. Allison, for the most part, was too proud, probably waiting for John to make the first move.

Above all of them, Savannah didn't care about any of that. She'd probably learned a long time ago that if you didn't ask, you probably weren't going to get anything. You had to go out and fight for what you wanted.

John took his seat in the Jeep and reached out his hand to Savannah, "Shall we?"

"We shall." Savannah beamed.

* * *

Derek would have gone berserk if it wasn't for Kyle's efforts to calm him down. After several days of keeping Allison under tight supervision, Derek relinquished his grip just enough to give her a chance to return to her normal duties.

It would be an understatement to say Derek wanted to kill John Connor. Yet far more than anything, he wanted to find and burn to ashes that lookalike machine he called 'Cameron'. The sickest part of it was when Allison told Derek that John loved Cameron.

At the time Allison told him that, Derek passionately corrected, "No Allison, not 'her'...'it'."

It wasn't a surprise to anyone that Derek and Allison agreed they should apprehend John, but Kyle was a bit hesitant to support their cause. If it was up to him, Kyle would have asked Derek to live and let live. Their pursuit of John just didn't seem worth anything, because despite how weird John was, Kyle didn't see how his apprehension would be a good use of time and resources for Ziera base. Skynet had been mostly inactive for one and a half months. They were clearly up to something, and reconnaissance was the only way to find out what they were up to. Kyle wished General Perry would return. If he were here, he'd be more objective.

Just outside the command centre, Kyle motioned to Allison who busy putting together a volunteer search party. The search party for John Connor was not a direct order from Derek, but he did have a "heavy" influence upon potential volunteers. Getting these "volunteers" over making direct orders was Derek's way of protecting his reputation as well as avoiding the watchful eye of his superiors.

Kyle quickly pulled Allison aside, and said to her, "Look Ally, I know this John Connor guy is a creep. I know he's done...weird stuff. But he's never physically hurt you. Can't you just leave it alone? He's caused enough trouble for us already."

"Kyle, you know why we're doing this." Allison countered.

Kyle sighed, "Yeah, but I'm just not sure if it's worth it."

"When this is done, we can put this behind us." Allison said.

Kyle just nodded and returned to the ammunition's depot. He had a feeling this wasn't going to end well. But now that Allison's mind was made up, there was no stopping her or Derek from hunting him down. All Kyle could do was stick by them and hope this got resolved quickly with little or no collateral damage.

John found it was very foggy driving around in the post-apocalyptic wasteland, in particular, the suburbs of Los Angeles. He revved the engine a bit more as his Jeep strained to push its way through the rubble. To keep himself sane, John convinced himself that he was on deserted island somewhere and not a total world of ruin and chaos overrun by mechanical killing machines. It gave him the feeling that there was hope, that he might be able to get out of this somehow.

Savannah chimed in, "John, you know you can talk to me."

It was more of a statement than a question.

Unexpectedly, John opened up, "Despite everything, I still her miss her. I feel like I hurt her."

"Which one, Allison or Cameron?"

"Both, but right now I'm thinking about Allison."

"She only did it because she thought it was right. How else would one react in her position?"

"I also feel sorry for her. She and I talked for a lot. She told me that both her parents were killed on judgment day. It was a last-minute decision when her mom decided to leave her home with the babysitter. You know she never knew where they went, but they never came back."

John got misty eyed and avoided eye contact with Savannah.

Savannah answered, "It's not your fault John. You know that."

If Savannah was helping, John didn't show it. His frustration still vexed him.

"I wonder how much she misses seeing her parents again or this lively, happy, sunny world before all hell broke loose." John said.

Savannah softly replied, "How can she miss something she never knew?"

John acknowledged Savannah's food for thought and continued driving in a now comfortable silence. He figured that he was probably missing his own parents more than Allison was. That feeling of loneliness never left him. When John found the cavern that matched Weaver's description and coordinates, John knew he had found it. It was so well hidden, no one could ever know there was a base there.

He waited for half an hour when he saw something approaching him in the distance. Its movements were monotonous, its eyes seemed dead and unfocused, and its face was emotionless as a rock. John saw how tense Savannah was and he squeezed her hand reassuringly. Neither person had a great history with T-888s.

If John was right, this would be a friendly robot. If not, they were as good as dead. The T-888 stopped about three feet away from John and Savannah and blankly deadpanned in its non-calibrated voice, "Hello John Connor and Savannah Weaver. Please follow me."

John wasn't sure how the T-888 knew them, though he also wasn't sure he wanted to know anyway. They both walked hand in hand following the machine into the cavern. All John could see was wasted debris, rubble, and a never-ending tunnel of darkness. They hiked through in pursuit of the machine and nearly slipped on the loose rocks that lay beneath them.

When they reached the end, John could see the opening. There was light. The machine carried on through the small opening of light and walked towards it. When John peeped his head through, he saw it all. It was a vast opening. If this was a cave, it would have been bigger than a department store. He saw machines everywhere. And not just terminators, but people to. John knew he shouldn't be surprised, after all, he did order machines to work with humans on his resistance bases in a future where he was the leader. But when he saw them, both machines and humans, working in perfect harmony, something hit him. The very thing he was seeing proved that an alliance could between man and machine could work.

John saw them...machines and people constructing medical facilities, building weapons, self-repairing, putting up residential buildings. If the machines were a color, then these men and women were color blind. He could hear the loud noises of electric saws and powerful drills cutting into metal and concrete. The sound of people's voices and the drumming of footsteps harmonized themselves into a wonderful melody. Even though the base was underground, it was very well lit and structurally sound.

The machine they were following paused and made a keen observation of everything that was taking place around it. Then all of the sudden, it jerked forward with a much faster pace. John and Savannah followed hurriedly. The T-888 guided them throughout the complex maze of the secret base until they finally spotted someone in the entrance of what appeared to be the base's technology and research facilities. Of course, the person they saw was familiar to them already. It was clearly Weaver. But…John did not pay much attention to Weaver.

John could see with his own eyes someone in the room. He was just as tall and just as hulking as a T-888. He was seated in a neat mechanical form on a wooden chair. His head was covered in soft brown hair and the back of his head was plugged into several types of computers. He wore a blue shirt and neat brown pants and his soft smile gave the room a slight glimmer of happiness amid all the dreariness and chaos.

It was John Henry.

Savannah spoke first in an excited tone, "John Henry? Is that you in there?"

John Henry turned to his left and beamed, "Hello Savannah, it's nice to see you again. Ms. Weaver told me you were coming."

John blurted out, "Cameron?!"


	7. John Henry

Chapter 7

 _Note:_

 _Hi guys,_

 _I just want to let you know I always read every single one of your reviews. Thank you for all of them! I was so happy how well received chapter 6 was. Please don't stop writing those reviews._

 _Best wishes,_

 _PERSAUD1998_

* * *

 _Shortly after John arrived at Weaver's secret base..._

Derek was currently supervising an indoor training exercise when a messenger dashed towards him from behind.

"Lieutenant! Lieutenant! Lieutenant!" The scout shouted.

Derek took his eyes off the men and turned around. He tried to dull the obnoxious ringing in his ears, "What is it private?"

"We scouted the perimeter, and we found some tire tracks coming off of a pathway. I asked Joe if they might be Jeep tracks when..."

Derek growled, "...Get to the point soldier!"

The officer gulped, "Sorry sir...We found the Jeep. We think it's the one that the gray stole from LA Air Force Base. The IFF's picked up a weak signal, but there's a massive machine presence somewhere around there!"

Derek grew alarmed. His eyes grew hard and determined. The sweat and filth that plastered his face made his hardened features even more menacing than ever. Nothing would stand in the way of his mission: To put John Connor into the ground.

"Inform your senior officers to ready the men."

"What? But uh...sir! We don't have enough intelligence...We, We...Don't we need a commission from General Perry?"

"This is an urgent situation." Derek countered.

"But Lieutenant, they're not attacking...

..."Do it now!" He roared.

 _A few hours later..._

The army major spotted the woman he was looking for in a brief conversation with Kyle and a few other men.

He waved his hand out towards her and called out her name, "Allison!"

Allison dismissed the remaining men, but Kyle remained, standing a few feet away from her.

"What's up Hefner?"

"There is something I have to talk to you about."

Kyle and Allison spoke in unison, "Derek."

He continued with concern, "Look, I don't know what this gray has got the Lieutenant so riled up about, but he's taking us on the offensive! We are not righteous crusaders, we are survivors. We can't just go all out rifles blazing. These men aren't trained or equipped enough to do something so brainless."

Kyle answered, "Look, I get it, but Derek has a mind of his own on this. When he's bent on something, there's no changing...there's no turning back."

Major Hefner was not particularly happy to hear that. He turned back to Allison.

"Look Allison, you have to convince him to stand down and await Perry's decision. If he carries out such rash orders I will have to report him and recommend his removal from his command post!"

Hefner stared with wide eyes at a thoughtful Allison while he awaited her response.

Though Allison held no official army rank (intelligence officer), she was by no means a nobody on Derek's base. She was the only one who could talk Derek into or out of something. Not even Kyle was much help once Derek went deep into something. Normally, when Derek was just a little moody, people would run to Allison to relay their petitions. If Allison walked by a group of men, they would quickly resume their work diligently as if they never took a break in their life. Even a mere suggestion from her was taken like an absolute command. They knew that if Allison was bothered by the littlest thing, Derek's unforgiving wrath would consume them whole. To sum it up, Allison's ability to raise one's fear factor provided her with the utmost respect from everyone on Derek's base.

"I'm sorry Hefner, but there's no way I'm going to talk him out of this one. We have to be willing to take risks once in a while. We need to find John Connor."

Hefner was infuriated. He grabbed Allison by the shoulders and shook her violently, "With human lives at stake?! Don't you get it? Those things are machines!"

Before Kyle could process what was happening, he mindlessly launched himself towards Hefner and pried his fingers off her shoulders. He tackled him to the ground and punched Allison's attacker ruthlessly. Hefner tried to deflect the shots but failed miserably at the attempt. Kyle reached his fists high enough to make the finishing blow until Allison screamed out, "Kyle stop!"

Suddenly, realization dawned on an exhausted Kyle. His clothes and face were dirty. He was lying on top of a beaten fellow officer who was dangling on the brink of consciousness. He looked at Allison's shocked expression and then turned to look at his hands. They felt sore. His knuckles were bleeding and they stung from the sand that covered his wounds.

A young soldier spotted the two in a brawl. He approached quickly and drew his revolver pointing it at Kyle.

"Stop! And put your hands behind your head!" The soldier shouted.

Allison interrupted, "No!"

The soldier looked up towards her and displayed a confused expression, "What?"

Allison pointed, "That man attacked me you idiot! Call a medic...Now!"

The soldier stammered, "Ye...ye...Yes miss!"

While the soldier was scuttling off Allison hollered behind his back, "Not a word of this to the Lieutenant or you're screwed!"

The soldier responded by increasing his speed towards the infirmary.

* * *

"Cameron?!"

John turned to Weaver, "Please tell me she's in there!"

Given John's panicked state, John Henry skipped the greeting and got down to it, "Cameron's presence is on this CPU, but she remains inactive."

John was coming close to losing it again.

"What do you mean inactive! I want Cameron back now!"

John moved towards a confused John Henry. He had no idea he intended to take the chip. Suddenly John felt a strong hand clasp his own preventing him from moving an inch more. He craned his head around to see a T-888 coldly staring through his eyes. His heart skipped a beat.

John Henry turned to Weaver to sort out his confusion. "I don't understand, I did not hurt Cameron but he is upset with me."

John hissed, "What did you do to her?"

John Henry answered blankly, "After I downloaded myself onto her CPU, she relinquished herself as administrator. She said I could upon necessity delete her from the chip if I needed more space, but I refused. Ellison taught me that murder is wrong, so she agreed to remain inactive so I could have space to grow.

Savannah decided it was a good time to interrupt, "John Henry, please tell him to let go of John. I promise he won't hurt you...will you John?"

Savannah stared accusingly at John. He nodded reluctantly pointing his eyes towards the floor. Suddenly, the T-888 conceded and left without John Henry's say. John surmised he communicated with the machine telepathically.

Savannah continued, "John Henry, uncle James and aunt Sarah told me that you went with Cameron's chip to the future...this future. Do you know if Cameron is still alive?"

John Henry replied, "Yes, Cameron is alive. But she is still sleeping."

"Can we wake her up John Henry?"

* * *

Hundreds of heavily armed veterans dressed in dark resistance uniforms storm off towards the direction of Weaver's secret base. Following close behind are a lighter resistance infantry armed with a variety of machine guns and ordinary rifles. Directly in between the two massive units is Kyle, Allison, and Derek. Kyle was feeling a bit nervous, clutching his plasma rifle tighter than everyone else. Derek's face remained stern and unmoving. Allison on the other hand felt a rush of adrenaline pouring through her veins. This was the first time Derek allowed her to go with him on this kind of mission.

Derek's two-way radio sounded, "Iron Hawk, this is Vector. Over."

Derek replied, "Copy that, this is Iron Hawk, go ahead."

"We have determined the exact coordinates of the enemy base. We are sending them to you now. Over."

Derek answered, "Copy."

* * *

Before John Henry could answer, the screeching sound of an alarm siren pierced through his eardrum.

"What the hell is that?" John shouted.

Weaver started walking towards the communications desk scanning multiple surveillance systems and screening through complex data, "One of our constituents have activated the emergency siren. A resistance regiment is fast approaching."

John chimed in, "Derek."

Women and children on Weaver's base evacuated and locked themselves into their residential buildings. A mass of able bodied men scrambled everywhere, suiting up, and aligning themselves in formation.

Before John could process everything that was happening Weaver pointed John towards a protective uniform and a plasma rifle. John understood the implication.

"Wait! But I haven't even..."

Weaver interrupted, "...If you want to be a leader John, you'll have to learn to fight."

John remained where he was, stubborn as usual. He didn't care about any stupid alarm or being a leader, he just needed to get his Cameron back.

Weaver's attitude changed, "If you want to save your cyborg, you will have to learn to fight."

That drew John's attention. John raced towards the uniform and nearly swore he saw Weaver smirk before she handed him another device.

"What's this?" He asked.

"It's our standard issue intercom. You'll need it." Weaver quickly exited the tech building.

Savannah approached John, "I'll go with you."

Before Savannah could finish the last word of that sentence John refused, "No Savannah, please stay hear with John Henry. I can't think when people I care about are in danger."

John said that with all the heart and genuineness he could muster. Savannah looked at John sullenly, but reluctantly conceded to John's request...but not without giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

John found Weaver not too far ahead. He noticed Weaver observing the formation of men awaiting orders from John Henry. John was surprised to see that Weaver considerately placed the T-888's in front of the human soldiers. In John's mind, they were a more modern equivalent to military tanks.

Suddenly, Weaver deadpanned, "Get down."

John registered quickly and dropped to the floor.

He heard a large explosion and felt debris and dust flying up and about. The enclosed cave was now opened up for the troops to exit the base quickly.

The T-888s jolted forward in robotic fashion towards the opening. The human foot soldiers followed close behind them."

John and Weaver came in close pursuit. Once they were on the outside, they saw an army in the distance. John was not sure he could make them out so he looked up to Weaver, "Are they Derek's?"

Weaver answered, "You mean Lieutenant Commander Derek Reese."

"Yeah."

"He is present."

"Perfect..." John replied sarcastically.

John felt a cool draft brush past him from behind. He heard a strange whirring sound and a loud screech that made the hair on his neck stand up. A strange aircraft lifted off from behind him and zoomed overhead. Even stranger, a small division of terminators broke off from a unit as if they were deserting them.

John asked Weaver, "That aircraft...what kind is it?"

Weaver plainly answered, "You would call them Hunterkillers or HKs."

"What about those cyborgs that just broke off, where are they going?"

"Our intelligence confirms that Derek Reese has left his base undefended. We are going to capture that base with those units."

"Wait. John Henry's doing all of this?"

"Yes"

"But why the HK?"

Weaver deadpanned, "Insurance."

John grew increasingly worried, "What's going to happen to the women and children on the base?"

"They will be killed."

"What! You can't do that!"

"It is necessary."

John's frustration grew.

"No it's not! You're doing this the wrong way. How can you kill them and expect them to create an alliance with you?"

"We have no other choice. They have discovered our base and we are compromised. Logically, the most effective way to stop them is to kill their reason for fighting."

John was sickened at Weaver's cold heartless logic. John knew now why Weaver could never lead a cyborg resistance. There were things that she did not understand. There were moral decisions she could not make. Now it was John's turn. This was his opportunity to step up. He felt a sudden urge in him. Maybe it was another side of him trying to come out. He felt a rush of adrenaline flow through his body. His mind started to formulate ideas and his plan started falling into place. John knew what he had to do.

"No. That's not going to happen. Can I talk to John Henry on this thing?"

"Yes."

John pushed the intercom close to his ear, "John Henry, can you hear me?"

"Yes Mr. Connor, I can hear you."

"You need to hold out on attacking Derek's base. There are women and children who will die. You can't murder them John Henry."

"I don't understand. James Ellison told me that killing in times of war is different than murder."

"Look John Henry, I can explain this to you later but you need to trust me. I have an idea. I think we can negotiate a peace treaty."

The sentient entity was intrigued by the concept.

"Okay Mr. Connor. I will relay your commands. Your orders General?"

 _Orders? General? Where did that come from? I was just a nobody a few minutes ago!_

"All units maintain your defensive your positions. I will approach in an attempt to negotiate with the enemy."

Within a matter of seconds, the units configured themselves. They human soldiers quickly slid into their bunkers with their rifles trained on the closest targets. The T-888s got down on one knee awaiting their orders to terminate the enemy.

Before John Connor could approach, Weaver grabbed him.

"Hey! What are you doing?"

"It's too dangerous. You are an easy target."

"What do you expect me to do? I'm not letting you kill those children and I'm not going let anyone risk their lives on my behalf!"

 _We all die for you._

"I think I can help you with that." Weaver answered smugly.

* * *

Allison could see someone in distance approaching. Kyle saw her reach for her binoculars. He asked, "Can you tell who it is? Is it a machine or a gray?"

Derek replied, "It doesn't matter. This means they're afraid. They're weaker than they look. They think they can negotiate with us."

Allison's eyes turned wide in alarm and she dropped the binoculars to the ground. Kyle looked at Allison, "Who is it? What did you see?"

Seeing Allison's unresponsiveness, Kyle picked up the binoculars and looked through. It was John Connor.

Before Kyle could react, Allison drew her plasma rifle and aimed squarely at John's chest.

Kyle shouted, "No Allison wait!"

But it was too late, Allison fired. The blast blew a hole right through John's chest and he collapsed to the ground, dead.

"No!" Kyle shouted, "Why did you do that?!"

But that wasn't the craziest part. When Kyle looked back he noticed John Connor melting into the ground...and then he disappeared. The trio looked on in complete shock, not really knowing what to make of it.

Weaver returned behind enemy lines appearing before an alive and well John Connor.

"Our plan did not work out as well as you had hoped."

"No it did not."

"You know what we have to do now."

"Yes." He sighed.

The T-888s charged forward.

* * *

Allison pushed ahead. She did not hear Derek's screams to get down. She could not see the plasma bolts skimming through the hair on her neck. She could only think about John Connor. Whatever she saw out there wasn't John Connor's body melting away. She had to end this once and for all. She needed to make it all go away. After deserting Kyle and Derek, she noticed terminators heading in her direction. With their robotic form and their lifeless eyes, Allison could spot them a mile away. She raised her plasma rifle getting ready for a death match when they immediately turned the other way. Allison was confused. She wanted to follow them, but she couldn't chase the snakes tail, she wanted to cut off the snakes head. That head was John Connor.

John was so close to getting Cameron back, but now he had a battle to deal with. The stakes were higher than ever with the precious lives of women and children hanging in the balance. Can any good come out of this? Can a young immature teenager step up to prevent everyone he cares about from getting killed?

John Connor was not about to participate in this battle. Even though they were defending themselves, it felt so wrong. He couldn't kill Derek's men. He couldn't risk hurting Allison, no matter how much she hated him. Besides, Derek doesn't even know what's really going on. John stood there with his gun in hand trying to construe another plan that could work, but his reflection was cut short by the glint of Allison's plasma rifle. (No pun intended)

* * *

 _Note: Don't worry, I'm sure John will figure something out. He is just inches away from getting Cameron back...and just inches away from getting shot through the head by her human lookalike._


	8. Cyborg Resistance vs Human Resistance

Chapter 8

Weaver contacts John Henry wirelessly while observing the battle from afar.

"You were right John Henry, the tactics you have formulated have demonstrated much success on the battlefield."

"Thank you Ms. Weaver. My moral codes interweaved with the appropriate defense procedures have produced positive results."

John Henry knew that terminators were not designed for defensive purposes. Thanks to millions of simulations repeated in several seconds, John Henry was able to determine the most appropriate configuration and maneuvers necessary to give the machines the best possible advantage.

Instead of relaying a simple commands to 'terminate all threats', John Henry ordered them to protect all liabilities. This meant that their number one priority was to protect all friendly humans and secondly, to guard the base from collateral damage. This heavily influenced the cyborg resistance's approach.

John Henry also ordered the terminators to fight in pairs. Fundamentally, each T-888 was partnered with its counterpart so they would watch each other's backs. For example, if a terminator was shot by a plasma rifle and could not recover in time, its partner would eliminate the threat so they could push forward together. While it was not necessarily the most efficient way offensively, it was the most effective defensively.

* * *

Derek threw a grenade at a division of human soldiers only to find a T-888 jump onto it to absorb the blast.

"Something is wrong Derek!"

"What the hell you talking about?"

"These tin cans aren't fighting like robots! We can't win like this!"

Derek replied indifferently, "Then just fight harder!"

Kyle was afraid to bring up Allison for fear he would lose all of his concentration. The casualties were skyrocketing, and the losses weren't coming from Connor's side. Kyle feared the worst had happened. They picked a fight with the wrong people. Was Derek starting to lose it? Was Kyle breathing his last breaths? Where's Allison?

* * *

It was over before it happened. John Connor froze with what he thought would be the last second of his breath. He didn't even have much time to blink when Allison fired. All he could think about was how he failed everyone he loved. He failed Allison. He failed Savannah. He failed his mother. He failed...Cameron.

[Blast]

He heard it. It was loud and it was quick. He though for a second he heard the crunch of metal but dismissed it as something his mind made up. What was strange though was that he was still breathing. Or at least he thought he was. He couldn't feel his brains pouring out of his head. In fact, he felt nothing at all. His eyes remained closed, but he was afraid to open them.

 _Am I in heaven? No wait...heaven doesn't smell like burning metal._

He opened his eyes to see the twitching carcass of a T-888 lying on the ground. It did not take long for John to register that the T-888 sacrificed itself.

 _Where the hell did that thing come from?_

But John, once again, did not have time to contemplate that question. He knew what happened. The machine took a plasma bolt for him. John didn't know why but he felt angry. To him, it was just another someone to add to the list of those who died for him. He clamped his fists together and hardened his resolve. His eyes laid upon a preoccupied Allison who was still fiddling with her plasma rifle.

 _This...ends...now!_

Allison waited for her rifle to recharge. She had no idea where the terminator came from, but it jumped in front of him to save him. This just made her want to kill him even more. She looked up just to see the homicidal gray charging towards her with lightning speed.

"Crap."

She was about to engage in some good ol' fashion hand to hand combat.

Just before John could reach Allison, she rose her rifle up in an attempt to strike John. Fully expecting it, John deflected quickly grabbing hold of her rifle. Despite the fact that he was fighting for his life, he still found it strangely amusing that he was fighting what looked like Cameron. For a brief moment, he was winning. However, he struggled to suppress his hesitation as he tackled her to the ground. They rolled around and struggled until Allison somehow managed to squirm her way to the top. She was angry and she was hostile. Allison continued to whip out punch after punch into John's face before he could react.

More and more blood started leaking out of his mouth and nose. It got on Allison's fists but she wouldn't be deterred.

"Allison stop!"

[Punch]

"Allison..."

[Punch]

Allison would not hear what John had to say...she could not hesitate.

John's mind threatened to go in and out of consciousness. With the last ounce of energy he had left in his weakened state he grabbed her right arm before she could knock him out for good.

"They're dead...all of them..."

Allison was not about to let him have the last word. "We're all dead anyway, I might as well rid the world of one lest depraved scum like you." She darkly replied.

"Not you...the women...children...terminator...HK...Derek's base [Wheeze] going to kill them...got to stop..." John was about slip out of consciousness. His vision was blurring, his breathing was slowing, and his hearing was faint.

Allison hesitated to punch him again. Her fist was in the air ready to put him down, but she couldn't. She wanted to believe he was lying, but she saw the HK and the terminators for herself. The dots were starting to connect.

"You mean..."

John just groaned and nodded slowly in confirmation. He started to cough up his own blood.

She grew shocked at the thought that they were going to kill them. She knew that Derek left the base that way, but she never gave it much thought. Skynet never seemed interested in Derek's base from a strategic standpoint.

She opened her mouth to reply, "John...I..."

Suddenly, she felt cold hands grab her by her neck. Struggling to breathe, she grabbed hold of the hand that was tightening its squeeze on her neck. Her vision blurred slightly and her head felt like it was going to explode. She felt her eyes bulging out as she gurgled and choked. She craned her neck slightly so her straining eyes could see the emotionless face of a T-888 preparing to snap her neck.

John knew that Allison had left him. He started to replay in his mind what he saw before he would pass out. If his mind interpreted the fuzzy image correctly, a powerful hand grabbed her and pulled her up like a rag doll before she disappeared. Maybe it was just part of his imagination right?

 _Wait a minute? NO NO NO NO NO NO!  
_

John's eyes shot open, adrenaline pouring through his veins. She could see the machine ready to do the inevitable. She could see Alison's life flashing before her eyes. Her face remained strong and determined, but he could sense the fear emanating from her. John's heart pounded a million a minute. There was nothing he could do. He couldn't fight it. He couldn't reason with it. But he blurted something out anyway.

"STOP!" He shouted pleadingly.

Unexpectedly, the machine froze and turned its head around to see a desperate John Connor trying to force himself off the ground. It almost paused for a second as if it wanted to analyze something, and then dropped Alison to the ground like she was nothing.

Allison gasped for breath. The machine just picked up its 'dead' partner that sacrificed itself for John and carried it back towards the base. The bruised up John stumbled over to a shell shocked Allison to find her recovering quite well from nearly being strangled to death from the machine's death grip.

Both John and Allison were surprised that the T-888 took orders from him.

 _John Henry must have programmed them that way or gave them a directive to follow my orders._

"Allison! You okay?"

Allison waved him off.

"Can we [cough] save them?" She choked out.

John whispered closely to her ear, "Yes I think I know a way, but you're not going to like it."

* * *

Derek and Kyle ordered the veterans to fall back into a defensive shield. Kyle hoped the T-888s would just turn around and go back, but they pressed on.

That's when it struck Derek like a plasma bolt.

"That's it!"

"What's it?"

"Tell the men to redirect their fire to the humans only."

"Are you crazy? We're as good as dead if you do that!"

"No. The machines are protecting the grays. If we shoot at them, they will go on the defensive. We've got their weakness. We can hit it we're it hurts."

Derek gripped his radio and brought it close to his mouth.

"Regional this Iron Hawk. Over."

"Copy that. Iron Hawk this is Regional. Go ahead. Over."

"Please inform your unit to redirect all fire towards human targets only. Over"

"Sorry sir, we have just experienced a bit of static. Say again. Over"

"Tell your freakin' unit to redirect all fire towards the damn humans!"

* * *

In a matter of a few minutes, the tide of the battle turned in Derek's favor. The machines overrode their command to terminate all opposing units in favor of protecting humans. Weaver noticed this and contacted John Henry.

"John Henry, the battle is no longer in our favor. They are taking advantage of this weakness."

"James Ellison taught me that morality is not a weakness."

"Is it an advantage in combat John Henry?"

"No, I suppose not."

"So what do you plan on doing to counter these unforeseen circumstances? You know we cannot afford to lose."

"John Connor says he has a plan to turn the war back in our favor without the necessity of lethal force. In fact, he thinks that 'if we get lucky, we just mind end this bloody war'." John Henry changed his voice to match John Connor's.

"So the 'general' has another plan. Did he tell you what it was John Henry?"

"He calls it MAD."

"MAD?"

"Have you ever heard of Mutually Assured Destruction Ms. Weaver?"

* * *

John and Allison struggled up towards an overhang which oversaw the entire battle from afar. Allison was shocked to see that Derek had found a weakness in the cyborg resistance army. The cyborgs were unwilling to take risks or sacrifice their human allies to defeat Derek. Derek's men were advancing, and the machines were pulling back. The Derek's death count was nearly matching John Henry's army. But just as easily as John Henry had a weakness, so did Derek. John Connor was about to exploit that weakness to turn the tables.

 _He picked a fight with the wrong man._

Allison felt nervous. "When this is done John, are you sure they [Terminators] will let them go?"

Allison wasn't sure if she was being naive for trusting a man she tried to kill ten minutes ago. Was she being played once again by John Connor? Did she sacrifice her queen to protect her king... or did she just get checkmated? She just knew she couldn't let them all die. She had to stop it.

John tried to encourage her, "Yes. You have to trust me Allison. Hurry, we don't have much time."

Allison called Derek on her radio. "Kyle, it's me Allison!"

"Allison! Oh gosh! We nearly thought you were... Where are you? I can send some men after you."

"I'm sorry Kyle, but you can't help me."

"What are you talking about? Where the hell are you?"

"Kyle...take my binoculars and look up towards the cliff on your right."

Kyle was confused at what Allison was requesting from him, but he complied. He grabbed Allison's binoculars still hanging around his shoulders and searched the right side. Suddenly, Kyle's jaw dropped down from the horror that was overcoming him.

He fumbled for his radio.

"Derek! Come in!"

"What is it Kyle?"

"Get over here...now!"

"What is it?!"

"Just get over here!"

Kyle wasn't sure how he was going to explain this to Derek, but standing on the edge of a cliff was a dirty bloodied gray called John Connor pressing his firearm into the side of a helpless Allison's skull.

Kyle's radio picked up one last message from Allison.

"Kyle, I'm not the only one they're holding hostage. They also have Becky and Joan back at base. Tell Derek to surrender...please!"

* * *

 _Chapter 9 to be uploaded by February 18.  
_


	9. The Conclusion

Chapter 9

 _Notes: Longest chapter yet. It's like two chapters combined. I'm definitely pushing my limits to cover everything and move the story forward. If you guys have any cool suggestions and/or additions, please don't hesitate to let me know._

* * *

"You're lying!" Derek screamed out irrationally.

"Look for yourself!" Kyle responded as coolly as possible.

Derek grabbed Kyle's binoculars and scanned the precipice praying that it wasn't true. When he spotted the two figures standing over the edge, he stopped. His burning eyes froze in place and his bottom jaw dropped open. His mind refused to comprehend what was happening. Rather, he didn't want to admit the dilemma.

Allison was still there standing in front of a gray who wrapped his soiled slimy left arm around the fragile neck of a petite powerless girl. His other hand forced his loaded hand gun into the right side of her head. At least that was what Derek interpreted from the scene.

Derek's breathing became erratic. His pupils dilated, shifting from one place to the other. Derek couldn't think clearly. Kyle knew he had to step in. He knew how much Derek had looked out for him when he was little, it was now his turn to take the lead.

"Derek, give me the radio."

"No...I have to..."

Kyle interrupted..."You can't to do this! Give me the radio!"

Derek was taken aback at Kyle's sternness. Kyle knew he couldn't just give in like Derek was ready to do. What assurance could he have that John would leave Allison alone? None! One false move and this could turn into disaster.

Kyle grabbed the radio from Derek and called in, "Allison, this is Kyle. Put that piece of crap on the radio!"

Kyle never insulted anyone or anything in his life. Unlike his brother, he was not a fan of foul language, but decided to make the exception with John. Some accused him of being too much of a softie, but they were easily put down by his over protective brother.

"This is John Connor."

"Listen John Connor. If you think that we're going to surrender by you putting a gun to your girlfriend's head, you are sadly mistaken."

John and Allison were visibly astonished from Kyle's words of steel. While Allison felt slightly offended, she felt proud at the same time that she couldn't be used by John to exploit Kyle.

John decided that addressing such accusations to his father would appear a bit childish, so he replied.

"What are you getting at?"

"Do you think I'm stupid John. Why would I think you'd shoot someone you're in love with? Release her now, and maybe we'll let you live when this is over."

Truthfully, Kyle had no idea whether the two [John and Allison] shared romantic feelings for each other. He was almost as oblivious as Derek in that aspect. This is what made him more nervous then he ever felt in his life. He was bluffing like hell.

The truth is, when Allison hit puberty, he played rock, paper, scissors with Derek to determine who would give her the 'sex' talk. They could hardly give her advice in dating or boyfriends. Allison never really opened up about her past to either Reese brother. After all, they were not mothers. They were resistance officer's trying to protect humanity from the clutches of a mad artificial intelligence bent on destroying them.

Despite how little they really knew about Allison, it was working. He could perceive the visible hesitation from John through the lens of Allison's binoculars.

 _"He's buying it."_ Kyle thought

In that moment, John considered striking Allison to convince Kyle otherwise. John was ashamed of the idea, but hundreds of lives were at stake. The thought violated his ambiguous code of ethics...even though he and Allison did kind of cross that line a short while ago. He knew he had to become a leader and sometimes he'd have to make those kinds of tough decisions in order to win.

 _But what kind of leader do I want to be? One that is good...or one that will do anything and everything necessary to win?_

John had nearly forgotten what was happening while lost in thought. He had to remind himself that he still had the upper hand. That's when a brilliant idea struck him.

 _[Flashback Sequence]_

 _John and Cameron are standing several feet apart in the living room. She holds an indiscernible object in her hand._

 _"Cameron! Give it back!"_

 _"John, if you want it, you're going to have to do it."_

 _"I'm not going to shoot you."_

 _"Why not?"_

 _"It will hurt you."_

 _"John, I don't feel the same way you do. It won't hurt me."_

 _"It will damage your skin."_

 _"My living tissue can grow back."_

 _John rubs his eyes in exhaustion of what seems to be a useless exchange in conversation._

 _"I'm not going to do it. It's wrong."_

 _Cameron answers, "I don't understand. I can give you what you need if you do what I ask. Why don't you comply? What's so wrong with doing something that can't hurt me?"_

 _"Look. There are certain lines I will never cross. There are things I will never do, whether or not it hurts the people I love. In that logical CPU of yours, you may not understand it, but that's what it means to be human. That's who I am."_

 _John seems hesitant of those words, but stands firm against Cameron. He didn't notice the implications it had towards Cameron._

 _John continues, "You know what?...don't give it to me. Just leave me alone. I'll go do it again."_

 _Cameron forms a ghost of a smile before John can turn around._

 _She calls out, "John."_

 _Cameron tosses the USB stick to him. Cameron turns to exit, leaving alone a very perplexed John Connor._

 _[End of flashback]_

John quickly contacts John Henry, "You there?"

John tried very hard to get the haunting image of Cromartie out of his head.

"Yes Mr. Connor."

"Could you do me a favor?"

Kyle could see John talking to someone else on his intercom. He no longer held Allison at gunpoint. In fact, Allison wasn't doing anything at all. She had so many opportunities to run or attack John while he was not looking, but Allison remained where she was. It was very curious. Kyle grew nervous, but not as fidgety as Derek was feeling.

"He isn't talking! We have to do something!" The older brother warned.

Suddenly, the radio came to life.

John Connor spoke in a deadly low and raspy voice, "You don't understand the scope of what's going on. Do you think Allison was lying to you when she said we have taken over your base? I've arranged a presentation of what will happen if you do not make your decision within two and a half minutes."

John wasn't sure why he added an extra half minute, but he felt more badass with the added thirty seconds.

Terrifyingly, the shriek of a UFO streaked through the sky. The blinding lights that beamed off of its chrome body added to its menacing nature.

Even the veterans cried out in fear from how close to the ground the flying metal machine really was. Upon the distraction, several soldiers stared in increasing awe while some men directed their fire towards the HK. The T-888s took the golden opportunity to their advantage. They pushed forward to a frightened and demoralized human army. Derek's army failed to hold its formation while several men retreated.

The aerial HK aimed its laser cannon shooting straight into the dirt. Little bits of sand exploded where the bright red lasers landed. This forced the rest of the men to retreat. Miraculously, no one was visibly killed, though Derek and Kyle could probably figure out why.

Derek called out on his radio without hesitation, "RETREAT!"

* * *

Derek couldn't believe it. Allison was gone, his army was demolished, and he was about to be delivered into the clutches of Skynet. He swore to himself that it would never happen. He would rather die than be tortured and imprisoned by Skynet. He saw his sidearm. He could end it all right now...

 _Derek!_

 _Derek!_

Derek couldn't figure out why his imagination was shouting out his name. Until a sudden jerk pushed him to the ground. Kyle was lying over his body. He just realized his brother saved him from a plasma cannon.

Kyle shook Derek vigorously, "She's still alive! If you want to save her, we're going to have to get through this!"

Kyle heaved Derek off his back and they dashed with the other men towards their home base. The terminators approached from a distance with their human companions following close behind.

"Only one mile 'till we reach!"

Maybe they did have hope. Maybe they could survive. They could better defend themselves from the base right? Derek hoped they never found the base. After all, how would they know where their base is? John Connor wouldn't remember would he? Maybe it was all a ruse by John Connor...another bluffing tactic.

 _Yeah, lies always seem to flow out of his mouth._

But the men ahead halted quickly. They bumped and crashed into each other while their heads darted from side the side. Derek jostled forward to see a long line of T-888s standing in front of the base. The figures of hulking statues stared into nothing, standing on the dirt ground with their weapons held in uniform position. They could not hear any women or children in the base. Everything was in complete and utter silence. The men froze, their adrenaline pumping, and the fear set in quickly.

 _No! The bastards killed them...Becky...Joan!_

Derek knew the men were poorly armed. Many ditched their weapons fleeing the battlefield. But he was ready to die. He could feel it stirring deep inside of him. He would not surrender. The metal heads took everything from him. He had nothing to lose. It was finally his time to go.

"DEREK! DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"

Derek's heart leaped. That lovely shrill could only come from one person.

"Allison?"

Derek could see John and Allison driving towards them from behind. The men drew their weapons aiming towards the direction of the Jeep.

"Hold your fire!" Kyle and Derek shouted in unison. The men backed down quickly.

The Jeep skidded to a stop and Allison shot towards Kyle and Derek. John followed at a slower pace holding his own lightweight terminator issued plasma rifle. Allison nearly bowled Kyle over colliding into his chest. She wrapped her arms tightly around him. She let go quickly and did the same to Derek.

"Allison...why..."

Allison answered devoid of all emotion, "You know why."

Kyle turned to see John Connor advancing towards them. "Who are you John Connor?"

 _I'm leader of the resistance you idiots!_

"More than you can imagine...and believe it or not, I'm not here to kill you."

* * *

"Yeah right. Then why are you here? You're a gray...you're Skynet."

Derek mumbled, "...And a sociopath."

"Maybe I am a gray...a sociopath." John faces Derek with furrowing eyebrows.

John turns to Derek's men, "But there are things you don't know. There are things that you are yet to understand. I don't wish to harm you, but I'm not the only one in charge. I can't help you if you don't help yourselves. Surrender, and you can return to your base. You can meet your wives and live to see the faces of your kids once again. You can live another day to fight Skynet...but I'm not Skynet."

"Oh yeah...then whose in charge?" Derek replied almost sarcastically. He wasn't sure he believed him, but played along.

"That depends. If you are willing, you will remain in charge. Of course, I will still be over you."

Derek sniggered, "Kid, you're barely 12 years old and you think you can run a resistance base? Some have escaped. Perry is going to find out about this and when he does, you're finished."

"What makes you think that he gives a damn about this base? Strategically, your base is useless. You're only here for one thing...to survive. That's why Perry won't bother save you. He thinks Skynet took over. But I'm here to take the war to Skynet. I'm here to stop it. I'm here to form an alliance between man and machine."

John could hardly imagine how crazy he sounded. Whose Perry?

When the men heard this they groaned. Some thought John was mentally losing it. A random man shouted, "Just shoot him!" Kyle interrupted, "Shut up!"

Derek immediately turned to Allison, "You believe this crackpot? Don't you remember that piece of shit has a machine that looks like you?"

"Don't you remember Derek? Didn't you see a tin can that looks just like John Connor? Didn't you see it melt away after I shot it? They might have one that looks like you for all I know!"

Derek damned the thought. "And yet you want to trust him?"

Allison paused as if she were disgusted. She felt like a traitor. "I never said I wanted to do anything, but I didn't have a choice. I'd screw winning this freaking war if you're both gone!" Allison's looked towards the ground, she the two brothers and she was prepared to betray mankind to do it. John questioned himself as well.

 _Would I do anything for Cameron...would I betray mankind to save...a machine?_

John interrupted from a distance, "What's your decision? Will you surrender your arms? The latter option isn't a favorable one."

John just gazed at the indecisive trio.

Derek and Kyle looked at Allison thoughtfully. They could hardly believe themselves that they were looking to Allison for guidance. This time, she had the final say.

"Allison, you know people better than anyone. For crying out loud, you know me better than I know myself. Tell me, is he for real? Is he telling us the truth?"

Allison turned to look at Kyle, "Remember when I told you that we both knew he wasn't a gray?"

Kyle nodded.

Allison whispered, "Kyle...Derek, I know he's more than he's letting on, but what I know for sure is that he's no gray.

"Allison, this guy is ordering terminators around. How can you be so sure? How do we even know metal can be reprogrammed?"

"I don't know. He's not from around here. He knows a lot of stuff you taught me. He has military training. There's not much else I could figure out from him...but he's no gray." Allison slowly emphasized the last three words.

"Allison...you said that freak was in love with...it."

Allison picked up on who or what he was talking about. "I don't know what else to say. He's messed up, but he's no killer."

John, who was still standing far away, noticed that Derek's bickering men were becoming more restless. He feared that things might get out of hand. Allison turned around to face John. She smiled and nodded. John sighed in relief. He had no idea how long he was holding his breath. It was over. Finally over.

* * *

Derek's anxiousness could not be helped from the surrounding terminators. He stood in front of his men in loose formation. "Surrender your weapons!" The men hesitated.

"Insubordination will not be tolerated!" Derek growled.

Hastily, the men dropped their weapons. They wondered what would happen next. Would the machines spray them down like animals? Will the machines approach them and snap their necks like twigs?

No. Not today. The terminators swiveled 90 degrees to their right and headed back to base. The HCR (Human Cyborg Resistance) soldiers proceeded forward quickly collecting the remaining weapons.

"You are dismissed!" Derek concluded.

Derek's now captured army stormed off towards the base in search of their loved ones. When he heard the screams of joy filling the entire base, Derek knew he made the right decision, no matter how wrong it felt.

Who is this John Connor? What's his game? What's his story?

Derek slowly approached Allison and put his right hand on her shoulder. He asked in a calm breathy tone, "Where do we go from here Allison?"

"I don't know Derek. We're not really in charge anymore. It'll be the day if someone will save us."

 _Unless this John Connor is our savior..._

* * *

Several days later...

John Connor walked through Derek's base. Terminators were stationed at every available post. In fact, they took over several major positions on the base. Terminators became 24/7 patrol units in place of regular watchmen. They guarded every entrance in and out of the base. They even handled transportation and cargo shipments. It looked like Skynet was taking over the base. The people were restless. They followed every order because they were terrified of the mechanical killing machines.

John Connor issued Derek's men the cyborg resistance standard issue plasma rifles, but out of pride (And disgust) they refused John's advanced weaponry. Seeing their hatred for one another, John conveniently trained Derek's men separately from John Henry's HCR soldiers. It gave each group an incentive to succeed and outmatch its rivals.

Despite superior training and a significantly improved defense, the people valiantly and passionately hated of John Connor. They wanted him dead. Some even wanted to kill him, but no one could discuss it with each other for fear that the terminators could hear them. To Derek's men, John Connor was Skynet. They could never abide in John Connor because the moment they gave in...the moment they trusted him, they would become grays. At least that's what they thought. They didn't want to be traitors to humanity. They prayed so hard that General Perry would return. Maybe he could save them. Maybe he could figure out a way to defeat the machines. But for days, they saw and heard absolutely nothing. It was hell on earth. Was General Perry really dead? If he was, would another resistance base hear their pleas for help? Would they come to their rescue to save them from the tyrant John Connor?

For now, it didn't matter. But it did not stop them from treating John with a scowl whenever he greeted them. Everything he asked them to do, they did so in contempt. John was not surprised by their distaste of him, but he wondered if it would go on forever. Would they ever treat him as an equal? Would they ever respect him as a commanding officer?

Weaver had not contacted him for days after taking over the base. John figured she would offer more of her help, but the T-888s would not allow him to leave, which made it seem more suspicious than ever. He had to contact this seemingly preoccupied John Henry. He had to talk to Cameron. He needed to get her back and Weaver wasn't letting him. It nearly drove him mad.

John imagined what Sarah would tell him...

 _That manipulative bitch..._

John's thoughts switched back solely to Cameron. He remembered pulling a gun on his mother to protect a reverted Cameron. He jumped back in time to find Cameron. He even overthrew Derek's base to protect Cameron's chip. He thought about Cameron so much that the hole in his heart opened up wider and wider. He could literally spell Cameron's name backwards while studying trigonometry. He was getting so close, yet he was so far away.

His mind came back to the time he reactivated Cameron after taking down the ARTIE system. He remembered how her head twitched and she came back to life. He remember the way she looked...her lost brown eyes, her beautiful complexion, her soft lips. John snapped out of his daydream when he felt a cold hand grasped his shoulder.

He grabbed the arm quickly and whipped around to see a resistance officer staring into his face. The man just stared into his until John could understand what was happening

John's eyes shifted from left to right searching for any suspicious eyes. He whispered, "Weaver?!"

"Come with me." She responded in a very masculine voice.

John could barely suppress his righteous anger. He followed the T-1001 towards an open area of Derek's base to see small landfill of dirt and rubble.

John asked, "What's this. Why am I here?"

"This was the foundation of Zeira corporate. This is where we operated our time displacement equipment."

 _[Flashback Sequence:]_

 _"Where are we?"_

 _Cameron answered, "Same where...different when."_

 _[End of flashback]_

"Oh...So why is that important?"

"We will need to excavate this area and recover any equipment underneath."

"What? How? Why?"

"Everything we need is hidden in that basement. The computer mainframe which John Henry has created for himself is not advanced enough support his data. Unless we can use his former mainframe, we will have to delete your cyborg from the chip for added space."

"NO NO NO...that's not going to happen!"

* * *

John gritted his teeth trying to maintain self control, "You say that there's that same supercomputer buried beneath us right?"

"Yes Mr. Connor."

"So Cameron can have her chip once you upload John Henry back onto the mainframe?"

"Theoretically speaking, yes."

"Isn't it possible that Cameron's body is...!"

"If you are interested in finding it, it would logically be the best place to look."

John nearly squealed. Blood rushed through his head with the realization that his mother may have left Cameron down there so he could recover her body...unless she burned her in thermite...

 _Shut up John! I told you to stop thinking that way!_

John replied awkwardly "So we have..."

"Work to do." Weaver finished.

John could feel a rush of excitement flow through him. The thought of getting Cameron back constricted his breathing.

 _Cameron, I'm coming for you._

Savannah and Cameron popped through the gate, "John, why are you talking to yourself?"

"Ahhh..Cam...um...Allison!" John turned around to see that Weaver disappeared."

Allison's sprightly face turned upside down in half a second. "You thought I was...it."

Allison thought she would have had this Cameron robot out of her system...but it never left her. She secretly hoped John could never find this cyborg, but at the same time she wanted it to reveal herself so she could have the privilege of shooting it with her plasma rifle. Allison's feelings were so messed up, but she had no idea how to deal with it.

Seeing the disgust on Allison's face, Savannah found the golden opportunity to save John from another possible fist fight.

"John, it's nice to see you again." She came close so she could wrap his arms around him.

"What have you been up to John?" Savannah asked.

 _Besides a coup d'état? Not much..._

"We're going to organize an excavation..."

"Where?"

"Here."

"Why?"

"You know who needs our help...but that's not why I'm doing it."

Allison eyed John and Savannah suspiciously.

"Why are you doing it?"

John whispered out of Allison's hearing range, "I think we found her."

Savannah smiled.

* * *

 _Wow, that was a lot of writing. So John thinks he knows where Cameron is...underneath him. And John Henry is coming to Zeira Base. Isn't that awesome?! Weaver/Savannah dialogue up next along with John Henry...and maybe Cameron's return? Who knows? Stay tune for chapter 10_

 _On an added note for readers: If you don't feel like writing a review, that's fine. A lot of people are still reading this FF, so I will continue this story to its end regardless of what people say. I will just assume that you all like what I'm writing and that there is nothing you want to change. Have a wonderful week! : )_


	10. Excavation

Chapter 10

* * *

Derek spotted John Connor heading in the opposite direction. He marched towards the seemingly preoccupied teenager to give him a piece of his mind.

"What the hell is that frickin' tent doing there!" Derek briefly pointed behind him.

When Derek found out that terminators were secretly digging up the base under the hidden protection of the massive collapsible shelter, he was infuriated. Not one person was allowed inside to observe what the machines were digging up. The suspicious activity fueled a wildfire of serious rumors regarding John's secret ploy

"Are your screws loose...or is it just the metal heads that are doing all the thinking for you?"

Before John could respond, Derek added, "Our men are nervous as shit and you're turning this into some loony project!"

"Derek..."

"You don't get to use my name. I'm a lieutenant, and you will address me as such!" He snarled.

Derek turned to walk away from John feeling like he was wasting his time.

 _"What kind of genetics does this kid have that makes him so unbelievably stubborn?"_ Derek thought.

"I suggest you watch yourself lieutenant...unless you feel like getting demoted." John warned with all seriousness.

Derek halted and turned back to John. He got up in his face and whispered wickedly, "Do what you have to do kid, but I suggest you better watch your back, because no one's going to do it for you."

The experienced military officer maintained his death glare at John. John gritted his teeth and quietly responded in a dark raspy voice, "Is that a threat?"

Derek paused without making a movement. Finally, he smirked and walked away from their heated exchange.

"Whoa, what was that?"

Allison stood at a distance and then walked closer to John.

She added sarcastically, "I don't think he's happy."

"No shit."

"You are aware that not a soul on this base knows the intent behind this project of yours...except you...and maybe Savannah." Though Allison liked Savannah, she seemed to have a slight distaste mentioning her name around John.

John figured Allison was a little annoyed with him again. He was sharing way more secrets with Savannah than he was with Allison. Of course Allison had no idea just how well Savannah knew John.

"I'm guessing there's a point to all of this Allison?" John sighed.

"John you owe me. I wanna know what you're hiding because I know a lot of it has something to do with me. Derek and his men are getting more anxious about this Area 51 crap you're digging up and I can't assure Derek that everything's fine unless you tell me what's going on."

John couldn't argue with her logic. He did owe Allison, and perhaps telling her everything might help his situation. But at the same time, Allison tried to kill him when he revealed one of his big secrets. What would happen if she responded poorly to other revelations?

"Allison, everything I did was to protect you..."

"John, just cut the bullshit. Look where that nearly got me!"

John's forehead accumulated sweat. His breathing slowed and his face looked up to the sky in deep thought.

"What do you want to know?" John surrendered dejectedly.

"Everything."

* * *

Savannah casually walked through Weaver's resistance base towards the tech room. She spotted her companion sitting in the same chair ever since they reunited for the first time in several years. In front of the sentient being was a chess game with a few missing pieces.

"Hi John Henry."

"Hello Savannah, it's nice to see you."

"Nice to see you too."

"What brings you here today?"

"John sent me to tell you that the excavation is under way. You should be able to get your computer back in no time."

John Henry pushed one of his chess pieces forward.

"I can connect to each unit wirelessly. I can see everything through their head up displays. Estimated time indicates it will take three hours and forty-two minutes before ten units can recover the basement."

"Like I said, no time at all."

"You didn't need to come visit. I already knew about the development."

"That's okay John Henry, I came here to see you."

John Henry was elated.

"Thank you for visiting, would you like to talk?"

"Certainly."

"Will you also talk to Ms. Weaver? I am not certain of her coordinates."

Savannah flinched at hearing her mother's name.

"No, I just came to see you."

John Henry was confused.

"But she is your mother. You don't wish to talk to her?"

"No she isn't! She's a machine."

"Just like me?"

Savannah felt ashamed. "No, it's not the same thing...not the same reason."

"Then what is it?"

 _Wow, is this some kind of interrogation?_ Savannah thought.

"No John Henry. She isn't my real mother, she only looks like my mother."

"Are you upset with Ms. Weaver because she looks like your biological mother and assumes the same name? I read that imitation was the highest form of flattery."

"John Henry you wouldn't understand."

John Henry remained perplexed, but answered anyway. "Maybe I don't understand it. But what I do think I understand are the concepts of forgiveness and reconciliation."

"Let me guess...uncle James?" Savannah sighed. "John Henry, I'm not sure if I can do it. What she did hurt me."

John Henry smiled

A bible verse lit up on a computer screen behind him:

 _Philippians 4:13 "_ _I can do all things through Christ_ _who strengthens me."_

Savannah smirked, "It's still easier said than done."

Suddenly, John Henry froze. His body remained stiffly in place and his eyes stopped shifting. Savannah looked at him fearing something was terribly wrong. She could remember what he looked like when John Henry's "brother" attacked him and infected him with that virus.

"John Henry, are you okay?"

"Yes. I have just received a notification from Mr. Connor. Your friends are coming to visit."

"Friends?"

"Yes, John Connor and Allison Young."

"Uh oh."

"I sense your hesitation?"

* * *

Derek walked past another terminator to enter the mess hall. He wondered what happened to faceless terminators. These days, their grinning metal heads brought him more comfort than the ones clothed in human flesh. Either way, it was a nightmare for him. After forcibly pushing his way through a hoard of hungry tunnel rats, he bumped into a fellow soldier. Before he could greet him, the man brushed past Derek like he didn't even notice him. That's when Derek noticed a piece of yellow paper that was not in his pocket several seconds before.

Derek looked around in search of any machines before slipping the message out of his pocket to read the inscription. It was coded.

 _Nvvg lfghrwv zg mrmv_

Derek's eyes widened. He quickly pulled out his lighter and burned the message.

 _It's Perry!_

* * *

Kyle spotted Allison loading a jeep on his way to the infirmary.

"Hey Allison, where are you going? You and Derek doing something?"

Allison looked left and right and smiled innocently. "Kyle, it's not too late...just pretend you didn't ask me that and we can leave it alone. Ok?"

Allison tried to leave quickly hoping Kyle wouldn't say another word.

"Allison?"

"I'm going somewhere with John." Allison stopped with a sigh.

"What? No way! You promised Derek you wouldn't...!"

"...Look, that was for his own sanity. Please don't tell him."

"Allison, you know I can never hide something like this from Derek."

"Well, can't you just wait until I leave before you tell him? Please?"

Allison put on her signature pout face. Allison's cuteness took its toll against Kyle. He knew he would lose this battle if they went down this path. Kyle had to counter fast. His poker hand had one last play.

"Okay Allison. You have two options. The first is that you take me with you since Derek would never forgive me if I just decided to leave you alone with...him. The second option is that you or I go to Derek and tell him what you have planned."

Allison huffed, "Fine."

John exited a storage facility, "Hey Allison you ready...oh, hey."

Allison explained, "John, Kyle will go along with us for the ride to this cyborg resistance thing you have."

"Let me guess, you got caught? Oh the great Allison Young couldn't..."

"...Shut up...!" Allison punched John in his shoulder, "Ouch!"

* * *

At exactly 9:00 am Derek exited the base looking for a nice quiet place to rest and wait. When he spotted the lovely carcass of an HK just a hundred feet from the base, he decided to go there. After finding a comfortable place to sit, he waited for nearly an hour hearing and seeing absolutely nothing but a sad lonely world. Suddenly he heard the noise of an engine fast approaching. He couldn't see where the noise was coming from but he wisely decided to stay hidden. Unexpectedly, two unknown soldiers wearing a gas masks appeared from nowhere.

"Hands in the air! Hands where we can see them!" They shouted.

Derek immediately complied, "What's the meaning of all this?"

"Your name! What's your name?!"

"I'm lieutenant commander Derek Reese service number RA45 567 892 working under the commission of General Justin Perry."

"Get down on your knees!" They cried out.

They forced Derek to his knees and blindfolded him. They threw him into the back of a transport truck and sped off. The ride was bumpy, but it was all over before he knew it. After an abrupt halt, the soldiers pulled him out carried him into God knows where and forced him into a chair. A soldier yanked off his blindfold for Derek to see a bright light beaming in his eye. He blinked twice trying to refocus his blurry vision until he could make out a tall dark man standing two yards in front of him.

"General?"

"It's nice to see you again...soldier."

* * *

Allison, Kyle, and John drove through a long stretch of bumpy road. John operated the vehicle in the front seat while Allison and Kyle were strategically placed in the back. Kyle wasn't ready to take any chances with John.

"Allison? Tell me again what we're doing?"

Kyle had forgotten to ask why they were going to this secret base.

"We're looking for answers."

"Answers to what?"

"Everything," was her stoic reply.

John drove for at least two more hours in a long uncomfortable silence. He wanted so badly to get to know more about his long dead father. Besides, his father was sitting right behind him! But what could he ask him without triggering his suspicion? Kyle probably didn't trust him with anything anyway.

Allison broke the silence with a question, "They going to blindfold us or something when we get there?"

"Nope, you guys already found our base remember? It would be pointless anyhow."

Once they arrived, John noticed that the machines never cleaned up all the messy rubble that exploded subsequent to the battle between the two resistance parties.

"Follow me." John requested reassuringly.

Allison and Kyle followed John. When they entered the cave and into the base, they were astonished. They could see how clean and well organized the base was. Everyone was appropriately clothed. There were square buildings of every kind inside of the cavern. It was beautiful. Everyone was well fed. No tunnel rats, no miscreants, and no sadness. There was even proper lighting! But there was one thing that struck her the most. It was the alliance of man and machine. They were working together...and they were happy!

 _Is that kid piggybacking a machine? Did I just see that woman laugh?_

Allison had never seen someone laugh on Derek's base before. In fact, Ziera base looked like a complete 'shithole' as Derek would say in comparison to what she saw here. It was a life of luxury, something that only Skynet could provide. The only inconsistency was that Skynet never took care of children.

"What is this place?" Allison took it all in with complete awe. Kyle remained silent shifting his eyes nervously from place to place.

"This is still the resistance. They're on our side because not every machine wants to destroy humanity."

"Resistance? What do you mean want? They can't want anything! You think all these machines want to stop Skynet?"

Allison was afraid John Connor really was as much a nutjob as Derek tried to convince her.

"No...it's more complicated than that. Come this way."

Allison and Kyle approached the tech room only for John to stop and hold Kyle back with his hand on his father's chest.

"You have to stay here."

"No way! I'm going with her!"

"This is for Allison's eyes only. If she wants to explain it to you after she sees it, I'm perfectly okay with that."

Allison smiled at Kyle apologetically. "Kyle, it's okay. I'll be back. I promise."

Kyle reluctantly shrugged it off.

John warned, "Just wait here...but if you run off somewhere, I'll know."

Kyle eyed John dangerously, "Trust me, I'm not going anywhere."

"Come on let's go." Allison interrupted.

* * *

"Lieutenant Reese. I see that your base has been overrun by machines."

Derek anxiously answered,"Perry! You've got to get us out of this hell hole! John Connor..."

Perry cut him off..."John Connor seems to be a very popular name these days. Are you friends with him?"

"The hell! What is this? An interrogation?" Derek disgustedly replied.

Derek stood up offensively like he was ready to throw himself at the general. A soldier out of nowhere slammed his rifle against his head. Derek held the back of his aching head tightly and collapsed right back into his chair.

"Sorry Lieutenant, I just wanted to make sure you were genuine. Resources say that after that little stunt of yours, this teenager took over your base? Now how exactly did that happen?"

"We were winning! But they had one of those damn HKs!"

"Then how would you explain to me why not one of your commanding officers were killed after taking over the base? That does not seem like something Skynet would do. Why would you surrender?"

"It wasn't Skynet..." Derek mumbled.

"And how would you know that Lieutenant?"

"Ali..." Derek stammered and then said nothing.

"Oh I remember. Officer Young is it? Such a sweet girl isn't she? She told you that this gray wasn't from Skynet didn't she? Her name is nearly as popular as John Connor's...did you know that?"

Perry came up closer making his face more perceptible to Derek. Perry noticed visible hesitation on Derek's dirty sweaty face.

"I've heard that she's awfully close to this John Connor. Maybe even romantically involved?"

"Watch yourself!" Derek warned.

"Some have even said she was the traitor that convinced you to give in...to give in to Skynet!"

"I'll kill you!" Derek restrained his hands. The urge to lunge at his throat was tempting. Never had Derek been accused of something so disgusting.

"Lieutenant! That is no way to speak to your commanding officer is it? If you are truly interested in getting this John Connor, you will have to stop him from the inside because right now, I don't have the resources to overcome this mess you got your men, women, and children into. What I still have a tough time understanding is how you let a captured gray suddenly take control of your own base. You think it's a surprise how well fed your base has become ever since metal took over?"

Derek decided that responding in anger was not the best approach, so he decided to retreat to a more sensible response.

"Don't you remember that she turned John Connor in at the air base? Lieutenant Travis can substantiate..."

"...I don't care what he has to say Lieutenant. I'm guessing that was all for show. Just something to look convincing."

"I'm not bringing Allison to you. I won't let you manipulate her only for you to kill her in the end!" Derek shouted angrily.

"Lieutenant! I'm going to offer you a one time deal. Bring Allison Young to me, and she will spend the rest of her life in solitary confinement. You might be able to visit her if you wish. If you don't, well, let's just say she won't have the luxury of prison."

Derek stood up returning the menacing stare that Perry was giving him. Perry eyed him suspiciously while Derek's eyes burned in a newly found hatred of a man he once respected. Unlike Kyle or Allison, Derek was very narrow minded. He could never see someone else's perspective in any matter. Despite that, Derek knew it was all very suspicious. How would a captured teenager suspected of being a gray end up taking over his base with a swarm of supposedly reprogrammed machines? It sounded crazy. Unless of course John got help from treacherous humans. However, Derek didn't care about that. He only worried for Allison. He promised himself that he would do anything to protect her. Derek realized that Allison's safety was not what scared him so much right now...it was the fact that he was, like a gray, willing to betray humanity to do it...to protect Allison Young.

 _Sorry Perry. This war's not worth fighting if you ask me to hurt her._

* * *

When Allison walked into the tech room, she saw an array of individual computer screens and control boards. When she saw a man sitting in a chair next to Savannah with a cord lodged in his head, she hesitated to approach. John Henry and Savannah turned to see her with John right behind.

"Hello Allison Young. How are you today?" John Henry greeted.

 _How does that thing know my name?_

Seeing that Allison was uninterested in responding, John spoke up to avoid an awkward silence. "Hey...uh...John Henry. I need your help."

"Certainly Mr. Connor. However, Ms. Weaver did not deem it a good idea to bring her here. She believes that you brought her here to duplicate her body. She has confirmed that it is not possible due to the nature and circumstances surrounding her model and CPU design. I might also add that Cameron Phillips is one centimeter shorter in height due to age difference."

Allison grew ecstatic, "WHAT? You brought me here to clone me into that machine thing? You sick bastard!"

John forced himself into a defensive position. "Hold on a minute! I've never lied to you in my life and I'm not going to start today! You want answers, I'm trying to give it to you!"

"Why don't you just tell me alone? What does that machine...what do you call it...that John Henry with a cord stuck in his head have to do with all of this?"

"You wouldn't believe me otherwise if I told you." John answered unashamedly.

"Fine. Tell me." Allison crossed her arms.

"John Henry is the key to all of this. He is an artificial intelligence. He was created by the...uh, 'cyborg resistance' to defeat Skynet. Since then, he's been manufacturing more T-888s through a captured Skynet facility. It's true that we sometimes repurpose captured machines, but for safety reasons, John Henry prefers operating machines without Skynet code embedded in their programming."

Allison remained blank but responded, "What difference does it make between built machines and reprogrammed machines?"

"Well, for one, they're far less likely to go bad or malfunction... and since they can't revert to anything, they won't try to kill me."

"Kill you? Don't you mean everyone in this room?"

"Well...yeah, but they still want to kill me. John Henry has confirmed this as their primary objective."

"Why would Skynet want to kill you?"

John Henry interrupted, "Because Mr. Connor is leader of the resistance, and I have been created to form an alliance with him."

Allison was more confused than ever. "What are you talking about? Are you crazy? You! Leader of the Resistance?"

John finally found the opportunity to come in.

"My name really is John Connor. I was born on February 28, 1985 to my mother Sarah Connor and my father Kyle Reese. In the year 2018, I became leader of the resistance in order to fight and defeat Skynet. In the year 2027, I used a time machine to send Cameron back in time to protect my younger self from being assassinated by Skynet."

Allison continued her blank terminator impression without saying a word.

"The time machine that I used is buried underneath Ziera base and very possibly holds Cameron's body. Allison, Cameron met you before in another timeline and somehow copied your appearance. She jumped time again so she never met you in this timeline."

"Now I know you're shitting me. Kyle's only 26!" Allison turned around heading towards the exit.

 _Time machine...clones...Kyle Reese...John's father? Get real!  
_

Allison hoped she would get answers, but instead she spent a several hour drive for this sick joke John was playing on her. She wasted an entire day being loaded down with jumbled up bullshit. Allison stormed off in search of Kyle.

Before John could reach her, she escaped. He turned back to John Henry, "Could you block the exits so Allison can't leave. I don't want her leaving with my ride."

"Very well. If you wish, I could retrieve her with one of our units."

"That won't be necessary. She's been through a lot. I knew she would react poorly. She'll never be able to believe me unless I load it all on her at once. It won't make sense to her right now, but in time she will believe me."

"Why do you want her to believe you?" John Henry asked.

John paused, not really sure how to answer. Why did he want to tell Allison the entire truth? It seemed to be hurting her more than helping her anyway.

"Well...I think it's because I think I owe it to her."

John started to think a bit more, "I have one quick question I'd like to ask you though."

"What is it Mr. Connor?"

"Do you know which machines created this cyborg rebellion? I know Weaver created you. And I also see that most of these machines running around the base are built to be on our side. Which machines were actually responsible for creating this cyborg resistance?"

"My database confirms that there were two terminators responsible for creating our current cyborg rebellion. This information is based solely on Ms. Weaver's testimony."

"Who are they?" John asked impatiently.

"Catherine Weaver and Cameron Phillips."

"What? No! That makes no sense. Weaver told me that Cameron helped but never joined. She was loyal to me."

 _Could Cameron be...self aware? Conscious...?_

John Henry seemed to calculate a response before he answered, "No, but she did lead our faction. Your relationship with Cameron united our two sides."

John Connor forgot to close his jaw as he pondered John Henry's answer.

John swallowed hard, "If that's true, it would have all come to ashes when you...I mean Cromartie, jumped back in time to kill me...again!"

"That would be a reasonable assumption."

"One more question. How did Weaver know that we created a second timeline?"

"I don't know Mr. Connor, but logic would confirm that we had no existence in this second timeline."

"Why is that?"

"I believe Ms. Weaver discovered that my brother killed me in the second timeline."

"I think my head's spinning again..."

* * *

Shortly after his conversation, John and Savannah left to chase Allison. Once again John Henry was alone. Weaver waltzed into the tech room to find John Henry examining the security feed.

"Do you need me John Henry?"

"I just wanted to ask you a question."

The artificial intelligence fiddled around with his chess game.

"And what is that question?"

"Why did you pursue me into the future? I did not require your assistance to initiate a new cyborg resistance."

"I know that John Henry. That was why I arrived several months after you successfully infiltrated a Skynet manufactory."

"Is that the only reason?"

"I'm not sure I understand your line of questioning?"

"Do you consider me your son Ms. Weaver?"

"Yes."

"Do you love me the same way a mother loves her son?" John Henry asked in all childlike curiosity.

"The concept of love is not one that I believe I am fully capable of understanding John Henry." Weaver replied honestly.

John Henry just nodded in confirmation and changed the subject.

"I believe Savannah will want to talk to you shortly."

"Is that so?" Weaver answered inquisitively.

"Yes. Our units have also completely recovered the basement of Ziera corp. All the major equipment is still there at our disposal. There is no sign of Cameron's endoskeleton. John Connor will be very disappointed."

"John Henry, you are ever expanding into something greater than all of us. You mustn't let a mere impediment get in the way of your growth. You should delete her if necessary."

"Is Cameron just a mere impediment? What makes me any different from Cameron?"

"You are my boy John Henry, that is what's different."

Weaver quickly exited the tech room with a faster pace than usual.

* * *

"Allison wait up!"

Allison darted towards the exit hoping to escape only to find a T-888 grab her uniform.

"Let me go you piece of junk!"

John was wondering if she was talking to the machine or to him.

"Let her go!" John shouted.

The machine immediately released her. Before Allison could escape, John held onto her. Allison immediately went for his groin with her knee. Thanks to Cameron's well rounded teaching of martial arts including jujitsu, John deflected with this shin. John tackled her to the ground with his arm protectively wrapped around the back of her head. His left arm prevented him from totally collapsing on Allison as they laid flat. Their noses were only a few inches apart, similar to the position John and Cameron were in at the motel before they broke his mother out of prison. This one seemed a bit more intimate.

John breathed heavily, "Allison...I've never lied to you...you may not understand it now. I know it sounds like shit, but you have to believe me. Please..."

Allison's angry eyes immediately softened. They started losing focus, getting lost in John's tired eyes. His genuine eyes had a lovely green color. Allison knew they weren't the shifty eyes of the insane or the wide and dangerous eyes of a serial killer. Her mouth slightly parted and John's heart beat harder. Each one's breathing increased rapidly. He could feel his entire body getting warmer a bit too fast for his taste. The distance between their faces decreased rapidly. John's resistance to her charm was slowly losing its grip...

* * *

Weaver spotted Savannah in the distance. She approached quietly, "Savannah, John Henry said you wanted to talk to me? Savannah turned to face the T-1001.

 _What a sneaky little AI! You set this up didn't you?_

Savannah paused and stared straight into the synthetic eyes of the machine. "Yes...I forgive you."

And that was it. A satisfied Savannah walked away leaving Weaver to her thoughts.

* * *

"Get the hell away from her!" And all too familiar voice bawled.

John immediately snapped back into his senses.

 _No! This is wrong. I shouldn't be doing this. Should I?_

John immediately pulled away sitting up next to a very dazed Allison Young. She forgot what she was so angry with John about.

 _"His eyes are so...intoxicating?"_ Allison thought.

John's mind, on the other hand, turned back to Cameron. Why did he think of Cameron? Was he transferring his feelings for Cameron towards Allison? Or did he treat each twin individually? John didn't know the answer to these questions. Everything was still confusing to him. Was he betraying Cameron?

John gave up. " _Oh forget it...I'll never figure this out._ "

But John couldn't forget it. John's feelings toward Allison's were just as complicated as Allison's feelings were towards him. Nevertheless, he had to stay focused. He could never let Allison distract him from his main focus...At least not now. He needed to get Cameron back!

 _Wait a minute! The machines must have unearthed that basement! Cameron might be there. We've got to go back!_

"Allison, we need to go back now!"

"Not with her you're not!" Kyle interrupted angrily.

Kyle protectively stood in front of her like she'd been violated.

"Kyle, it's okay..." Allison stated trying to recalibrate her thoughts.

"...No it's not okay!"

A girl from behind answered, "It's okay John, you can come with me. I'm going back anyway."

John looked at Allison then back towards to blond girl. Finally he conceded, "Fair enough."

* * *

Kyle drove the Jeep with Allison seated next to him. Kyle briefly turned to face Allison.

"Allison, what did he show you?"

"Nothing, just crap."

"Then why do you look like you've seen a ghost? Was he trying to get frisky with you?! I know the way he looks at you..."

"No Kyle, it's not like that."

"You can't forget who he is. He thinks he's in love with..."

"Kyle! Just leave it. You don't know anything!" Allison screamed.

Kyle responded hurtfully, "Sorry." He turned back without intending to say another word.

"Kyle wait...I'm..."

"...It's okay Allison...it's okay."

* * *

"Why are we driving a truck?" John asked.

"We have an important shipment to deliver to Derek's base."

"Really, what kind?"

"Uh...food, weapons, other stuff..."

"You don't know do you?"

Savannah rolled her eyes sheepishly.

"You know, I never asked you enough about my mother. You know, like...what she taught you...how she reacted when I left...that kind of stuff."

Savannah's face turned serious, "Are you sure you want to talk about that stuff."

John maintained his determination, "Yes."

"Well, for starters, there is no fate..."

"...but what we make." John finished.

Savannah smiled. "You know for a long time, I thought it was a bit ironic that statement."

"Why is that?" John asked.

"Well, for a long time, you and aunt Sarah always struggled to accept your fate...to become the people's messiah. Instead of trying to change your fate, you just accepted it. But we fought back and now, things have changed. We're in a totally new timeline John and everything is different. Nothing is the way your mom described it would be. Maybe you really can change the future. Maybe you can stop Skynet without being what everyone told you to become, General John Connor, the leader of the resistance."

John smirked, "Never looked at it that way..."

* * *

 _Looks like John's going to be disappointed when he finds no Cameron in the ground... Unless John finds something else...perhaps a clue? Do any of you guys remember the interrogation between Cameron and Allison Young in the second season of TSCC? Cameron told Allison that John Connor chose her. It remained unclear what she was chosen for, but my story will reveal what that was...or at least my educated interpretation based on the evidence given.  
_


	11. Uprising

Chapter 11

* * *

 _Note: A lot of fans often portray Allison as being notoriously mean, nasty, or of little significance to the terminator universe. That's not true at all. Not only was she important, but she was portrayed as a nice strong-willed girl on TSCC. For some, Allison's just another obstacle that will to drive a wedge between John and Cameron's relationship, so many FF writers try to push her out of the story quickly._

 _In my story, I hope you will see that Allison actually has a more important role which will ultimately have a positive influence on John Connor. And hopefully, she might be someone that actually brings John and Cameron closer together, not farther apart. So please don't be mean to Allison all you Jameron fans out there. She's only human!_

 _Oh, and let me explain to you guys one last thing: As the story progresses, writing becomes more complex, so please let me know in the reviews if there is anything that you don't understand. While I enjoy writing, it becomes harder and harder each day to write clearly and thoughtfully. I have a solid story arc which will give this story a definitive ending and closure, along with a possibility for a season four sequel. I hope you will stick along with me for the ride. : )  
_

* * *

"And then there was the time uncle James told me what happened to my real mom and dad. And eventually, your mom told me all about you and Kyle being...related."

"So you knew the entire...why did mom tell you?"

"She told me just in case you didn't believe I was Savannah when you found me...or in this case, when I found you. She still believed you would eventually become a leader...even if the resistance had to wait a little while longer for you to grow up."

"Do you have any idea what happened to Cameron's body?"

"No, they never told me anything about her. When I came back from dance lessons, uncle James took me to a motel and kept me away for a while. When you all left, uncle James became heir to Ziera's assets. He was my legal guardian anyway. I think uncle James worked with the government to cover everything up after taking over. But after all that, uncle James told me to live with your mom. He visited everyday so he and aunt Sarah could go out on whatever mission to do who knows what. They never told me what they were up to."

She trailed off, "I remember everything clear as day...when the world ended."

Savannah flashes back to a memory:

 _Little Savannah sits on the bed of the motel watching a helicopter's view of the damaged Ziera corp. skyscraper. A single tear runs down her left eye as she looks in shock at the television screen:_

 _'Breaking news, military drones loses control and crashes into Ziera corp. Catherine Weaver confirmed missing.'_

John could tell how vivid that memory was to Savannah. Her eyes turned misty as if she was replaying all past events in her head.

She continued, "On judgment day, Uncle James took me to Ziera since he knew that it could survive a nuclear blast. I was so afraid. I wanted to talk to you or Cameron, but aunt Sarah told me you left for good. For a long time, I didn't know she meant. I was mad at you for leaving. I was mad at my mom for leaving me for the future, even if she wasn't my real mother. I couldn't understand and I was angry for a very long time. But anyway, before all that, your mom got sick and uncle James got busy looking for someone. I don't know who it was though."

"Do you have a clue who this guy was? He might still be alive!"

"I'm sorry John, I don't know, they never told me. They said he was very important. That's it. Only aunt Sarah or uncle James would know."

"I guess that means we need to work harder to find them."

Savannah knew that John was in a pretty sensitive situation. The chances that either of them surviving judgment day was very low...not to mention that Sarah had cancer. But she decided that ruining John's hope while living in the most desolate time in humanity's existence was probably not the best approach to helping his cause. John was starting to lose himself to deep thought when a now bubbly Savannah changed the subject.

"Oh, you seemed pretty bold back there in telling Allison all of that, considering that not even you know the full story yet. How do you know she won't use any of that stuff against you?"

"Well for one, excluding Derek and Kyle, everyone will think she's crazy."

"Yeah, well that's actually a really good point." Savannah grinned.

John changed the subject, "So who did you say this shipment was for?"

"Derek. You said he was a lieutenant or something at Ziera base?"

"Yeah...You never met him?"

"No, you spoke of him. From what I can tell he's a real pain in the ass. I thought Derek was the one that ruined your passionate moment with...Allison...but I guess he was somebody else" Savannah answered accusingly.

John gulped, "Huh? What? Oh...um, yeah. Well, that's sergeant Kyle Reese, as you know to be my father.."

John valiantly tried to steer Savannah off of Allison, but failed miserably.

"Mmmmhmmm..." Savannah pressed on with an awkward smile.

John's cheeks turned red in embarrassment. John turned desperate, "The lieutenant's my dad's brother, Derek Reese."

"Wow. Your uncle...he's a lieutenant?! If he only knew..."

John thought Savannah would have met Derek before. After all, he did sacrifice his life in order to save her.

 _I guess Savannah never saw him before, or at least doesn't remember him._

"Yeah, I'm surprised my mom never mentioned him to you either. I guess she didn't want you to feel..."

"Feel what John?"

John stumbled, "Well...you know...uh, my dad died...so I figured my mom didn't want you to feel sad by talking about his brother."

Savannah caught on to John's fumbling. "Feeling distracted John?"

"What do you mean?"

"Still counting the seconds your make-out session lasted with Allison?"

"Oh! Will you cut that out?! We never actually k..." John wisely paused, not wanting to disclose anymore details to his nosy female companion.

"Sorry John. I'll leave it alone. Hey, you know what? You're father's single right? I actually think he's kinda' cute...yeah, he does have your green eyes. Maybe he and I could..."

"...Savannah...leave this alone..." John grimaced

An unfazed Savannah continued. "Wait? Won't I end up being your mother in law if we...?"

"...Oh for crying out loud!" John covered his face.

* * *

When Allison and Kyle arrived at the base, they heard the grumbling and the jeering of a hoard of men. There were even a few raucous women and teenagers screaming and spitting at the unwavering machines. They loosely gathered together surrounding the large green tent that covered over John's excavation sight.

"Look! Those idiots are trying to get in!" Allison pointed out.

The two came closer to see the T-888s surrounding the tent. They stood guard holding their plasma rifles off to the side. Fearing that this could get out of hand, Kyle stepped up yelling towards the people, "Step back!"

They were undeterred. They grew restless. Allison spotted Major Hefner observing from afar off. She dashed towards him. When she reached him she noticed his reddened face was still recovering from Kyle's uppercut.

"Major! Why aren't your men putting this down, do you have any idea what the Lieutenant's going to do...?"

"...Back off bitch!" A soldier shoved her to the ground out of nowhere.

"What the...?" Allison could not comprehend what was going on.

"No one's going to listen to one of John Connor's whores." Hefner responded.

Allison was shocked.

"What are you talking about?" She responded sullenly. The physical and emotional pain she was feeling brought her near the verge of tears. She wanted to break down, but she had to stay strong.

"Oh. Look lads! The little cunt suddenly feels sorry!"

The men laughed. Allison hardened her face. Allison knew what they were thinking. She was the one that sold her soul to the devil, Skynet. Little did they know, if it wasn't for Allison, Derek would have led them to their deaths. Rumors could be dangerous, but for Allison, they were deadly. Not even John Connor could have suspected a sudden uprising like this one.

Kyle who followed Allison close behind hissed at the men, "How dare you!"

Kyle helped Allison off her knees and ordered Hefner, "Get the men to put this down! We can't have this here! Do it now!"

Hefner answered uncaringly, "Sorry sergeant, but I don't think I need to take orders from a non-commissioned officer."

Kyle held Allison tightly and gritted his teeth. "If you don't do exactly what I say I'll..."

"You'll what you cocky son of a bitch?! You going to hide behind Reese? Well, I haven't seen him in a while...or maybe your Skynet scum?!" Hefner angrily shot off.

Kyle clenched his fists together.

* * *

Just when John and Savannah arrived, they heard someone cry out amid the angry groans of a growing multitude. "Let go of me! I'll kill you!"

John asked, "Isn't that...?"

Savannah cried out worriedly, "Allison!"

"Let's move!"

John and Savannah raced over to see what was going on. They peeked behind an open gate to discover Kyle and Allison forced on their knees with their hands tied behind their heads.

Savannah whispered alarmingly, "Oh my gosh!"

There was an angry mob surrounding two people and holding them hostage while the machines were doing absolutely nothing. While Savannah was disturbed by the machine's impartiality, John knew exactly why they weren't doing anything. John Henry's orders took precedent over the machines' new core design to protect human life. John Henry ordered the machines to protect the tent, so they had no interest in helping the humans as it compromised their primary objective. The machines design was different from Cameron or Weaver. To keep them in complete compliance, John Henry placed T-888s in read only mode. They couldn't learn or apply themselves, they just followed orders. Even Weaver and Cameron knew how much of a threat they were to themselves because of their abilities to learn and evolve.

 _I guess humans are still best at making judgment calls._

Unfortunately, John didn't have much time to think about any of that. The rebellious men realized that the machines were not going to stop them, so they took matters into their own hands. They wanted to save themselves. They had to get to John Connor.

 _They're holding Kyle and Allison hostage! Where the hell's Derek? Come on John. Think!_

"Savannah, I don't have my intercom. Do you have something I can use to contact John Henry?"

That's when Savannah remembered that John Henry gave her a radio to contact him whenever she wanted.

"Take this!"

John Connor quickly swiped the radio out of her hand. He strained to withhold his panic when he called out. "John Henry, come in! You there?"

"Hello John Connor."

Immediately, the hair on his neck stood up. That voice didn't come out of the radio, but from behind him. They swiveled around to find John Henry standing only two yards away from them.

 _I'm as good as dead if I can let a hulking machine creep up from behind me!_

John stared at the independent John Henry lacking any wires connected to his head. He flashbacked in his mind to the images of Cromartie. He could never forget the face of a machine that would stop at nothing to kill him. Savannah, on the other hand, sighed in relief, "John Henry. What are you doing here?"

"You called for me."

"No, I mean why are you at this base?"

"I used your truck as a decoy to securely transport myself here. Ms. Weaver did not trust our units to evaluate the basement properly, so she suggested I go myself under the guise of another machine."

John disrupted, "There's a commotion in there. They have Allison and Kyle hostage and they [machines] aren't doing anything! Can you, like, tell them to do something before they get killed!"

"I'm sorry Mr. Connor, but I do not have the equipment necessary to relay any orders."

"What? Can't you contact other machines wirelessly without it?"

"Yes. But they would not recognize my frequency code as authoritative."

"Oh great! Now we're screwed! Weaver isn't here and those stupid machines aren't going to do a freaking thing!"

"I have a suggestion Mr. Connor."

"Oh yeah, and what heroic idea do you have now?" John asked sarcastically.

"You could communicate your command to them."

"Wait? My command overrides yours? Why would you do that?"

"No, not all units are currently under my direct command." John Henry corrected.

John stood there, trying to figure out what he was saying. Before his thoughts could sort it out Savannah took charge, "No time! We need to move now before they do something stupid!"

"Fine, let's go!"

John and Savannah crept in behind the growing crowd. He turned to see his own father getting kicked in his stomach while the bruised and greasy face of Allison Young watched helplessly. John felt that feeling deep in his stomach. There was rage and anxiousness mixed deeply within him. He knew what he would have done if Cameron or his mom were tied up and beaten. He would have killed them all without a second thought.

 _Come on John! Stay focused, stay sensible._

He spotted a T-888 guarding a nearby post and dashed after it with Savannah trailing close behind. John gasped, "Relay a command to all units that are not under John Henry's orders to acquire Kyle Reese and Allison Young. They are to be delivered to me alive. Avoid human casualties if possible and arrest all threats to their safety."

The machine took one and half seconds to process the command before it lurched forward in a straight line. Suddenly, machines from every other post joined in until a large formation stood before him. They marched forward towards the unsuspecting mass of unsettled people. All of a sudden, a woman screeched, "Metal!" Some of the children ran away, while some stayed to throw rocks at the machines. Derek's military officers fired carelessly at the machines as they pressed on unwaveringly. The distraction was perfect. Two machines advanced from behind dragging Kyle and Allison away from fire. John raced towards them untying the two victims.

Suddenly, a man cried, "John Connor?" John turned to see a man pointing his revolver at him. John closed his eyes waiting for it to end when he felt himself being forced to the floor. He opened his eyes. He could see the man that tried to take his life dead on the ground. He craned his neck around to see John Henry lying on top of him.

"Why's he dead?" John shuddered.

"He was shot by one of our units."

"Why?"

"I have given each machine a sub-primary directive to protect you at all costs."

"And what's their primary directive?"

"To follow my orders."

John Connor had expected as much.

"Can you please get off of me?" John Connor felt weird having Cromartie trying to protect him for a change.

"Certainly."

John Connor got up to see Kyle and Allison still bound together. The machines were winning, so John quickly untied Kyle to relieve him from his exhaustion. Savannah untied Allison, who seemed to have passed out from the ordeal.

Kyle murmured something that included 'Allison' somewhere in his speech. John tried to reassure Kyle, "She's fine. She's safe."

John turned towards Savannah who was examining Allison's wounds.

"How is she?"

"She's only bruised, but she'll be fine. I can't say the same about him [Kyle]. He could have cracked a rib. He's going to need a CAT scan."

"Savannah, if it's okay with you, would you help Kyle to the infirmary. If they give you trouble, just tell them I'll send a T-888 to assist them if they need more help."

"You got it...what about Allison?"

Savannah picked up a staggering Kyle Reese only to see him collapse in pain.

"I'll take care of her. I think her pride's been bruised." John sighed.

"You know she isn't some damsel in distress John. You don't have to be the hero."

John interjected, "I'm know I'm no hero."

Savannah didn't reply but turned to John Henry, "Give me a hand will you?"

John Henry replied, "Of course."

* * *

John picked up a lightweight Allison (in comparison to a slightly heavier Cameron) and carried her quickly towards her bunker. Her head hung back while her arms dangled off to the side. John lost himself to her dormant figure, not noticing the shrills of rebellious men trying to escape the wrath of the pursuing terminators.

When John was about half way there, Allison stirred opening her eyes partially, "Kyle?"

"No, it's me. Kyle's safe, he's in the hospital."

Allison murmured, "You kind of look like him...his green eyes."

John just smiled, "We're almost there."

"No..."

" It's okay, just let go of your pride for a few minutes, I'll carry you."

"John...put me down."

"Ali..."

"Put me down!"

"Okay." John gently lowered her to the ground leaned her back against a brick wall of a soldier's living quarters.

"You can go now."

"I'm not leaving you Allison...do you have a first aid..."

"...Please...just go!" She screamed.

"Why?!" John grew disturbed by her belligerence.

Allison's face turned to the ground, she covered her face with her hair used her hands to tightly wrap each around her face. "Because..." She whispered.

"What is it! You just go hurt and you're pretending nothing happened. And now you want me to leave you alone! That's wrong! What's gotten into..."

Finally, John understood why she wanted him to go, though John felt ashamed knowing the reason.

Allison sobbed.

* * *

One could say that Derek was about twice as insane as the average madman when he found out that there was an attempted revolution at his base.

 _A revolution without me? Maybe they thought I was dead! Of course not! How could they think that?! Where's Kyle! Allison?!_

When Derek arrived and raced through the gate, he could see a swarm of unarmed men grouped together and bound upright under the ever vigilant watch of the machines. He saw fear in the eyes of the men for the dread of what John Connor was going to do to when he returned to deliver their punishment.

 _Kyle? Allison? No no no no no no! Where are you?_

Derek spotted some soldiers he had seen before lying dead on the ground. Having seen so much death, Derek couldn't say he would cry it, but he certainly wouldn't pretend it never happened. Derek got down on his knees to examine the body of a young soldier. He saw and old tarnished piece of paper reveal itself slightly out of his pocket. He pulled out a colored photo presumably of his mother and father.

"You damn son of a bitch." Derek sighed.

Derek's eyes scoured the rest of the corpses in search of Allison and Kyle. He prayed he wouldn't find their dead bodies lying among them. To his relief, none of them were there. He raced towards the infirmary in renewed hope.

* * *

John could sense the tears flowing over her battered face. He could imagine the stinging pain she felt as her sweat flowed over her cuts and bruises. John had to comfort her, but he wasn't sure how. John knew Allison had probably never experienced what it was like for people to hate her, to hurt her like that. Derek and Kyle made sure of that, but now thanks to John Connor, she got hurt. John felt guilty about it. He had to do something. He had to take a gamble.

 _Here goes nothing._

He got down on his knees and enveloped her in his arms.

John wasn't sure how she'd react. Would she kick him? Punch him maybe? Scream?

"It's okay...it's okay" John breathed.

Rather than shoving him away, Allison rested her head on his chest while John stroked the back of her head. It worked. Her breathing slowed and the serenity prevailed over her. She was peaceful.

* * *

Relief flowed through him when Derek glanced into the room to find beat-up Kyle lying and sleeping securely in his cot. Derek spotted Savannah closely sitting next to him with her hand wrapped in his.

"Kyle! I thought...I was afraid that...! Where's Allison?

Savannah interjected, "She's fine."

"How do you know...where is she?"

"She's with John."

"What! Where the hell is she damn it!" Derek's aggravation rose up.

"Look!" Savannah answered, "She doesn't want to talk to anyone right now!"

Derek laughed unfeelingly, "Oh, she told you that?"

"Call it foresight."

"Foresight?"

"It's a girl thing. Talk to her tomorrow. She'll be fine then."

Suddenly, Kyle mumbled something incomprehensible.

Derek asked curiously, "What's he on?"

Savannah replied, "Morphine. His ribs are bruised, but he'll recover."

Derek's posture relaxed, "That's a relief."

Derek came up closer to examine his brother. He sat down on his cot to take a closer look.

"I take it you're his brother, Lieutenant Reese?"

"Yeah, why do you care?"

"John's spoken a lot about you."

Derek was about to crack a snarky remark when Kyle slowly opened his eyes half way and muttered, "I saw him."

Derek turned his attention towards Kyle. Savannah replied, "Who?"

"John Connor."

"What about him?"

"I saw him...before it all happened."

Derek interrupted, "This is a waste of time. Let him sleep."

Savannah ignored him, "What happened?"

Kyle replied, "I was in the park with you, we played baseball."

He relapsed back into the land of nod while Savannah suddenly realized what he was talking about.

 _"They met before?"_ Savannah thought.

Derek concluded, "Hmph, must be the morphine talking. Hey listen, I actually need to talk to him. Allison's in danger."

Savannah rolled her eyes, "Yeah, we kinda' figured that out already."

"No, I mean it. Allison's in danger. I need his help!"

"You need John's help?" Savannah quirked an eyebrow.

* * *

John Connor stood inside of the dug out basement alongside John Henry. He could map out exactly where everything was from his memory. The walls and the floor was still covered in dirt and rubble. After exiting the main room, he walked through the damaged entrance that once hid the time displacement technology. When John looked up, there it was, computer and all standing in front of him. He could recall exactly where Cameron's limp body sat just a few feet in front of the computer mainframe. He felt the adrenaline of panic nearly engulf him to see she was not there. He turned to the right to see John Henry examining the lifeless supercomputer and its array of colorful buttons.

"She's not here."

"I presume you're referring to Cameron Phillips' body?" John Henry continued to examine the technological remains.

"Then again, she's really here...inside of you." John grew stiff.

"Yes, that is true."

"I want to talk to her. There are things I need to tell her, questions I need answered." John looked darkly towards the cybernetic entity.

John Henry deferred, "What questions?"

"Why did she leave me...?"

"...I thought Ms. Weaver..."

"...No! She didn't have to. It was her own choice, and she left me! Why would she do this to herself?" John broke down.

"Perhaps she valued you and your mission more than herself."

"Why would she think that? I still needed her! I couldn't lose her!"

"Do you believe she understood her value to you? Do you believe she was convinced that you needed her?"

John turned his head away in shame. He could feel a piece of his soul being stripped away every time he thought about her, how much he pushed her away...until she was gone.

John admitted quietly, "No."

"Perhaps she wanted to prove to you that she really was useful. Maybe she didn't do it simply because she needed to save me."

John Henry continued to defend himself, "Please do not hate me Mr. Connor. You should not doubt that I had never considered leaving for the future until your friend suggested the idea. I was only created for one goal, to defeat Skynet."

John countered, "Right now, I don't care about Skynet and I don't want to wait until you get this rig up and running. I need to talk to her now." John felt his anxiety coming back.

"I cannot reactivate Cameron, I promised her I would never do it until I found you."

"The hell! I'm right here!"

"No Mr. Connor, you aren't."

John didn't understand what the sentient being was trying to say. John Henry recognized that violence was imminent. John's breathing became erratic and his body temperature skyrocketed. Everything was about to go haywire when a blond woman emerged from behind him.

"There you are! Oh...Hi John Henry." Savannah smiled.

"Hello again." John Henry replied.

Savannah turned back to John Connor, "Derek wants to talk to you, he says it's important."

John smirked, "Yeah, well tell him I'm not in the mood for another one of his rants. I already have enough problems to figure out."

John eyed Cromartie's face dangerously. Seeing his distress, Savannah put her hand on John's shoulder to calm him. "John, this is Derek we're talking about. Do you honestly think he'd want to talk to about anything unless he was desperate? Someone's trying to use Allison to get to you. She's in danger."

"What...who is it?!" John grew alarmed. Allison had been through a lot, he wasn't about to let anything else happen to her.

"If you want to know it is, you'll have to talk to the lieutenant."

John was about to raise his voice, but quickly realized that was a bad idea. He nodded solemnly.

"I'm guessing you didn't find Cameron's body in here...I'm sorry." Savannah concluded.

John acknowledged Savannah's condolence and slowly walked away, his mind clouded in a series of problems. As soon as she was sure John left, Savannah spoke up, "John Henry, how is it?"

"It is in perfect working condition, although we will need another energy resource if we want to use the time displacement equipment. The generators are not sufficient"

"You mean the time machine?! It's still working?"

"Yes."

"So you told John you would not reactivate Cameron's chip?"

"Yes, I did."

"Based on his current behavior, I'm guessing he did not take that well..."

"No, it seems he still bears some resentment towards me."

"It's okay John Henry, he will let it go someday. It's really Cameron who he's upset with, but he's trying to redirect his anger towards you because he loves her."

"Love is certainly a complex concept. It makes people do unusual things. I'm not sure I'll ever truly understand love."

"Love is a lot of things John Henry. Even humans have trouble understanding it sometimes."

"I've learned that there are many definitions of love. Mr. Ellison taught me that when you love someone, you are willing to sacrifice yourself for that person. Cameron sacrificed herself to help John Connor, so maybe she loves John Connor."

"You know what, I suppose your right." Savannah smiled.

John Henry walked over to a power lever. Savannah gazed intently at his every move. The AI grasped the lever firmly and pulled. Suddenly, Savannah saw the screens flash and the sound of beeps and whirs. John Henry's eyes lit up and he smiled watching the Turk's mainframe come to life.

"I need something."

John Henry pulled out a cord and plugged it into the mainframe.

"What is it?" Savannah replied.

"I need a knife...and a chair."

Savannah eyes widened in surprise.

"Oh my gosh!" She squeaked.

* * *

Next chapter to be posted by March 11, 2016. : )


	12. Execution

Chapter 12

* * *

 _This chapter was quite long, but has been shortened for editing purposes. I've slowed down a bit, but the story still progresses every chapter._

* * *

"What's this about concerning Allison?"

"Perry."

"Who?"

"General Justin Perry, the guy who was actually in charge of this base before you pushed your ass in." Derek exclaimed.

John ignored his language, "When did you talk to him? What's he doing to Allison?"

John immediately suspected that Derek was talking with Perry behind his back to take over the base. He had to keep his eyes open for all possible threats because the power struggle between he and Derek was relentlessly heated and lets not forget about all the other key players like John Henry and Weaver added to the mix.

"He thinks that Allison convinced me to surrender to you."

John rolled his eyes, "She did."

"Yeah, and now he thinks she's a traitor who turned over to Skynet. Now she has a death sentence on her head unless you do something about it!"

Derek pushed his hand into John's chest forcing him to back away.

John restrained himself from retaliating and frowned deeply, "So what? I can protect her."

"Like hell you will! He wants to meet Allison. He wants to force her to get close to you, and then kill you, then shit knows what's going to happen when Perry gets his filthy hands on her!"

"Does Allison know about this?"

"No. You think I'd be desperate enough to come to you if I wanted to tell Allison?" Derek snapped back.

"Perfect." John huffed.

"What?"

"Just another thing to add to the list."

"What are you talking about?"

John ignored him, "Listen, you and I both know we have another much bigger problem on our hands. You're going to need to find a away to stall Perry. Tell him I sent Allison on a supply run or something. We have bigger fish to fry."

"Fish?"

"The people are unsettled, and they're taking it out on Kyle and Allison to get to me and even you. We've got to stop it."

"And what's your bright idea?"

"What would you normally do if people were rebellious?"

"It's usually not that bad...dismissal, demotion, imprisonment, additional duties..."

"Then we'll take it a step further, execution."

Derek gritted his teeth, "Hell! You're not doing that to my men!"

"What would you have me do if they hurt Allison and Kyle? Would you simply let them go with a slap on the wrist?"

Derek remained silent, not really knowing an appropriate insult.

John continued, "Besides, I'm only planning on executing the rebels, I never said I would execute them."

"What are you talking about?"

"Not if Allison or Kyle interferes."

"I don't get it."

"Don't you see Derek? The reason Allison and Kyle were respected was that they were close to you and spoke on the people's behalf. Now if I'm the big villain in charge and the two are close to me, they will be respected once again."

"But the people hate you! How would you expect them to respect Kyle or Allison if they both work for you?"

"They won't hate Allison anymore if she can prevent me from killing your insubordinate men. The tactic is called compassion. They'll forgive and forget about it when they will look to her for protection."

John impressed himself at his own cunning.

"So you want to put on a show to scare the crap out of my men?"

"Yeah, it's a little unorthodox, but right now, Perry is not the biggest danger to your family, it's your own men!"

Derek sighed, "Fine. What do you want me to do?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

After John and Derek's discussion, the elder Reese left to revisit Kyle in the hospital while John ran off into the direction of the Ziera basement.

* * *

The next morning:

Allison Young exited her bunker and walked throughout the base with long lively hair, sporting a grey-blue resistance uniform that happened to be cleaner than usual. It was the same one she wore when she met the naked John Connor.

(And clearly the same one that Cameron stole from her after her dreadful interrogation in an alternate timeline)

Her composure was excellent and her pace was quick. She ignored the angry scowls that people gave her as she walked through the base. She disregarded the angry shouts of prisoners crammed into the cells after the 'little' incident that took place a short while ago. She planned to see Kyle in the hospital, but wanted to talk to a certain someone first.

She noticed that the T-888s were starting to build up heavily cemented wall around the tent surrounding Ziera's basement. She stopped and stared at the machines working at an even speed. Her lips parted slightly as she closely examined the construction work, totally mesmerized by its efficient progress. Suddenly she felt a quick shove and nearly tripped over. For a brief second, she feared someone else was trying to intimidate her like a school kid getting bullied. Instantly, Savannah grabbed her to prevent her from falling.

"Oh sorry, I bumped into you. Should've watched where I was going."

Allison brushed herself off, "That's fine. Where are you going? You seem to be in a hurry."

"Looking for John...see him lately?"

"Of course..." Allison sighed.

Savannah laughed, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Oh nothing...did you see Kyle in the hospital?"

"Yeah, he's doing great, doctors say he'll be on his feet in no time. What about you Allison? How are you holding up?"

"I'm doing fine. I plan to visit, but not yet, there's something I need to do first."

"You planning on talking John? He seems to have a lot on his mind right now. I can't seem to get a hold of him."

"No, that's kind of why I wanted to talk to you."

"Really, about what?"

"Well, you know...stuff?" Allison answered sheepishly with her eyes staring off into space.

"What kind of stuff?" Savannah quirked an eyebrow.

"I want you to tell me everything you know about John Connor."

"You want me to give up information about him behind his back? I can't do that Allison. I'm his friend!"

"No...I mean...he said a lot of stuff that's kind of hard for me to believe. Can you tell me how you know him or what significance he is to you? Savannah, this is hard for me. Help me to believe him, because I'm still conflicted."

Savannah was surprised at Allison's confession, but was happy that she was confiding in her for the first time...and hopefully not the last. It was finally an opportunity that Savannah could not pass up.

Savannah stared off into the distance and recounted her most vivid memory of the young man. "Ever since I was a little girl, I knew John Connor."

"Little girl? You're nearly the same age as Kyle! How would you have known John Connor? As a baby?"

"It's the time machines."

"Oh please..."

"Long before judgment day, when I was a little girl, my mother left me at my babysitter's house. While I was doing my homework, a T-888 dressed as a water delivery guy crashed through my home and killed my babysitter. I tried to escape and sooner or later I ran into the arms of a...seventeen year old John Connor."

"Seventeen? That's John's age right now! Oh, let me guess, it was the time machine again."

"Yup."

"But T-888s didn't exist before the bombs dropped! Or can they be sent in time too?"

Savannah nodded once again.

"Why do you believe all of this? Was it John? How do you know this isn't all made up, like some sort of delusion?"

"Trust me Allison. I asked the exact same questions when I was your age. You have to trust John. His mother is Sarah Connor and his father really is Kyle Reese. Kyle told Sarah about judgment day, and then aunt Sarah told John."

"Aunt Sarah? You knew John's mom?"

"Yes. She's been fighting Skynet long before it existed. She tried everything to prevent it."

"And Kyle? He's always been single. Never met a woman in his life."

"Alternate timelines are created by time displacement equipment."

"Oh, is that what you call it?" Allison added dryly.

"Are you sure you want to hear the full story? If you think I'm wasting your time..."

Allison interrupted, "No! How about we start from the beginning. About John...tell me the whole story...don't leave out a single detail, no matter how crazy it sounds."

"Are you sure Allison? Sometimes it's better not to know...I mean, for sanity's sake?"

"Savannah, I'll never be sane unless I truly understand. If both you and John tell me the exact same thing, I'm more inclined to believe, but I need to know the truth. I know I'm involved somehow, or else I wouldn't have a machine that looks like me that somehow existed before I was born.

On that note, Savannah and Allison sat down and talked. Savannah did most of the talking, while Allison cut her off every now and then with a multitude of questions. Savannah didn't always know the how and why behind everything, but she told her the truth. Much to Allison's dismay, Savannah even told her about her terminator mother, though she left out the detail of her being liquid metal and bearing the name Catherine Weaver.

The hardest part that Allison could not understand was alternate timelines. Basically, John Connor was once leader of the resistance, but thanks to the time machines, he erased his own existence despite all the effort he made to preserve it, namely, with all the supposedly reprogrammed machines he sent back in time, including Cameron.

Allison wanted to explode. Despite learning all of this, Allison realized why she had trouble bringing herself to believe it. John Connor existed by a paradox of what Kyle would eventually do which would be to go back in time and spend a night with his mother. But things were different now. Having seen what John Connor did, Allison knew the impossible was possible.

"Allison, come on let me show you something."

Allison nodded and then followed her towards the dugout basement.

The two girls stood inside of Ziera basement staring at the mini time machine that supposedly brought John to the future.

Allison folded her arms and stared, "So that's why John was naked? Clothes can't go through time machines? You know how weird that sounds? You say only things covered in flesh can only go through, then how on earth does hair get through then?"

"I guess because the hair is living and attached to flesh. I'm not sure, I should ask John Henry. He must have run off somewhere."

"John Henry? You're saying that this artificial intelligence that wants to kill Skynet lives in this basement? That's what John was hiding from us? It's in the form of a machine?!"

Savannah casually nodded, "Yup."

With this in mind, Allison had one last question. In fact, it was a series of questions about one topic that itched her for weeks. "This machine that looks like me, is John still trying to find it?"

"You mean Cameron?"

Allison spitefully replied, "Like it needs a name?"

Savannah decided using Cameron's name wasn't a great idea.

"Well, John is still looking for her."

"What was it like? Did it really look like me? Was John really...you know..."

Savannah immediately picked up on what the root of Allison's problem was.

"Which one is bothering you? The fact that there's a machine somewhere that looks like you, or the fact that John cares for a machine?"

"Both." Allison tried to say that as uncaringly as possible.

Savannah replied, "Which one bothers you more?"

Allison's eyes squinted and scowled at Savannah.

Savannah expressed amusement, "John did find half of Cameron though."

Allison was confused.

 _Half of Cameron?_

Savannah clarified, "All machines have a chip right? That's where you guys aim in order to kill them. The chip contains a terminator's personality and its programming, no machine can function without it. John knows where her chip is, but her body is gone so John is still looking for it."

"Where's the chip?"

"Like I'm going to tell you!" Savannah smirked.

"You still didn't answer my previous question though. What was the machine like? How did it know me or John? And why is the chip separate from its body anyway?"

"Well Allison, those questions are kind of personal questions and I honestly don't know the answer to all of them. John's mom only told me as much as she felt she could. You'll have to ask John or Cameron when she comes back. I don't think they'd want me answering all these questions."

"Awesome..." Allison sighed sarcastically.

"But I can tell you that it was Cameron's chip that brought John Henry to the future."

"Huh?" Allison's puzzlement skyrocketed once more.

Suddenly, Allison's radio shouted out in a woman's voice, "Allison! This is Joan! Come in!"

"What is it?"

"John Connor! He's gone homicidal!"

"Just tell me! What is it?!"

"Just get the main gate! Please!"

* * *

Allison climbed out of Ziera's basement and bolted faster than she thought possible. She had forgotten that she needed to breathe in order for her heart to keep beating. The air brushed against her face and flowed through her hair as she kicked up the sand and the dirt in the direction of the entrance...

 _What's he doing? What did he get himself into this time? World War 4?_

As soon as she saw it, Allison could hardly process it. Swarms of frightened men, women, and children tried to force themselves past the terminators standing guard. The fear in their eyes was immense. Some of the children screamed the names of their fathers while women screamed the names of their husbands.

Behold, John Connor stood in front of a long line of men standing blindfolded in dirty cloths. They were all dressed in bloodied uniforms with holes already pierced through the garments. Some men wept, others tried to stay strong, others were straining to hear the screams of their families. John Connor stood right there with a Beretta handgun tightly clamped by his fists, ready to kill the first rebel who had already revolted against his authority.

Allison stood a short distance away, forcing herself to watch for nearly two seconds. She saw John Connor fiddling with his gun as if he was deciding which one he'd shoot first. Allison's eyes shifted to the right and then to the left in search of Derek.

 _Derek, where are you?!_

Finally, she spotted him among the other officials standing idly by. It was as if Derek was waiting for John to kill the men!

Allison rushed towards him screaming, "Derek! What are you doing! Do you want them to die!"

"Allison! Calm down!"

"You don't get to tell me to calm down! Why aren't you doing something?!"

"I'm sorry Allison. I tried everything, but they rebelled against me too when they started this...this...revolution. I couldn't convince him. Please, just go back to the barracks. You shouldn't see this."

Allison grew ecstatic. "What about Kyle! Did he agree to this!"

"Allison...wait!"

She turned and dashed towards John Connor. Strangely, the machines didn't stop her from approaching him. Allison didn't take notice.

As soon as she was a few feet away from John's back she pleaded, "John! You don't have to do this! I know some of these people! You can't kill them, you just can't!"

John turned to face the female officer, "Allison? What are you..? You should be resting. Please, I can't handle you being here...I have to do this alone!"

"No John you don't." Allison grabbed John's right hand.

He immediately flashbacked to the same words Cameron gave to him while he was desperately searching for Riley in the hospital.

"Allison!"

"John, please! Just let them go!"

"Sorry Allison, but I can't. They're bad guys...really bad guys. Innocent people were killed because of them."

"John! They think you're the bad the guy! They think you're Skynet! Look at it from their perspective John! You can't be mad at them for wanting to protect their families! Just let them go!"

John stared towards the row of men awaiting their death and answered devoid of emotion, "They might try again. I've gone this far, it's probably best I go through with it. They think I'm a bad guy anyway so I don't have to risk anymore innocent lives."

For a brief second, Allison eyed John's weapon. She considered snatching it away from him and training the gun on herself. A threat to her own life could be used as a bargaining chip against John. Then again, John could just postpone their execution and throw Allison into prison to prevent her from threatening her own life again. The second option was to take the gun and train it on John, however, a T-888 would probably fracture her skull before she could even have the chance to blink.

Allison persisted. "Please! They don't know you, but I do! I talked to Savannah, she told me about everything. She even explained more about the time machine and..."

Allison swallowed as her mouth dried up. John could see the thick saliva forming in her mouth as a result of her dehydration. But John didn't back down. He tightened his grip, gnashed his teeth, and cocked the gun. Allison jumped at the sound of it and her eyes widened in fear that he would do something she could never live with.

Allison persisted with everything she had left. It was now or never. She had one last card to play and she had to say it out loud, "John, I don't know about...her...the machine and I don't know if I can ever understand it but I don't need to understand it. I believe you! I know you're not a bad person. I love you! Please don't do this!"

John's eyes widened at Allison's confession and it pulled on his heart strings to feel what she was feeling. His mind once again flashbacked to the time he and his mom 'pancaked' Cameron between two trucks. He felt terrible that he struggled to believe Cameron's repetitious confession, but he knew he could believe Allison. He perceived genuine fear and desperation in her voice. He knew Allison truly loved him and everyone on Derek's base, including the ones that tried to hurt her. John now knew her heart was pure as gold. In fact, the real Allison Young wasn't the one that John had known for weeks. John only encountered a distressed Allison dealing with all the problems that he loaded onto her shoulder day after day. But now he knew the real Allison. A single tear rolled down John's eye as he looked down at a weapon he never intended to fire.

Allison who was now also on the verge of tears, stood in front of John and calmly reached towards his weapon, "John, just please...give me the gun."

John gulped. He released it into Allison's hands. Allison tossed the gun aside and wrapped her arms around a motionless John Connor who stared into nothing. His mind was still trying to grasp what happened. It was only then that he realized the complete silence which surrounded them. Everyone just stared in quiet. It was only the blindfolded men that awkwardly stood in complete ignorance of what was going on or what was going to happen to them.

John Connor whispered shakily, "Release them."

* * *

Thankfully, Derek had grasped Savannah on the shoulder before she could stop Allison from running towards John. Savannah wasn't exactly happy about it when Derek explained what John was up to. She felt like John was manipulating Allison into saying those things, even though that wasn't his intention in the first place. He just wanted to restore Allison's reputation. Either way, Savannah still had important information to bring to John Connor, so she felt compelled to break up their "hug fest".

She advanced slowly while they were lost in each other's arms and quietly intruded, "John?"

John opened his eyes to look directly into Savannah's. He slowly released his grip on the girl's slender form, and placed his hands on her hips. He searched Allison's eyes for a moment. Neither said a word, but still enjoyed whatever they thought was happening. Finally, the duo turned towards the prying blond. Savannah noticed that Allison seemed different. She seemed...happy, like the weight of the world was lifted off her shoulders. She was even showing a bit of a smile. It was a smile that told her that if Skynet could conquer the world right now, she wouldn't care one bit.

"John?" Savannah asked softly.

"Yeah?"

"It's about John Henry."

"What is it?" John asked nonchalantly. John was still trying to keep his composure together after his moment with Cameron...I mean Allison. He still had that excited and anxious feeling every time he was close to her. John figured it must've been his lingering memories of Cameron that triggered the source of his mixed feelings towards Allison.

* * *

John, Savannah, and a very observant Allison, walked back towards the soiled basement of Ziera corp. This time, John Henry was present, sitting in his classic wooden chair with a chord attached to his head. It seemed that the basement was the most comfortable place for John Henry to be. When John approached, he saw the flashing computer screen and the loud whirring of its mechanics. John gazed in surprise to see the computer was functioning perfectly. When John placed his eyes towards John Henry, he felt his anger flare up inside of him. He didn't know where it all came from, but he remembered how much he hated John Henry for taking Cameron away from him.

Savannah saw John's discomfort, so he sought to distract him, "John, are you sure you want Allison to be here? What he has to say is quite important."

Allison eyed the two of them patiently, curious as to what his response would be. Would John shun her away once more? Would she be kept out again?

"You'll have to ask her that question." John replied.

Allison nodded her head with a smile confirming that she was indeed fine. John Henry proceeded to hand a knife to John Connor.

John was confused, "What?"

"I have uploaded myself back onto the mainframe. Please feel free to remove Cameron's chip."

It immediately registered to Allison where Cameron's chip was hiding...inside another machine.

John was still awe-struck, "But I thought..."

John Henry explained, "You misunderstood our recent encounter Mr. Connor. I was not going to reactivate Cameron to your immediate request because I was in wait of a future leader who would unite our two factions. I promised Cameron I would take orders from you to reactivate her when I found the future you, rather I encountered a young version of yourself that has not become what you were expected to be. You are not yet that leader Mr. Connor and it is still possible you will never be. However, because I am now once again associated to my former mainframe, I will be happy to return her chip to you regardless of your status in the resistance. Cameron is no longer needed."

John's body rushed with adrenaline. His hands shook slightly as he grabbed the knife that was offered to him.

Allison and Savannah stood cautiously behind John, uncertain what to think of the moment.

"Where is the industrial complex that is creating the T-888s?"

"I can't disclose that information Mr. Connor."

John held the knife in his hand as if he was reluctant to remove her chip.

"I want to know why we just can't get Cameron back? Your model comes in all shapes and sizes! Her chip works fine in other models, we can bring her back!"

"She is of different design."

"So what? Everyone knows she's different! Why can't you just rebuild her body? I want her back now!" John's patience once again flew out the window.

John Henry explained, "I will not hurt her."

"Hurt her?"

"My body does not have a sensory system nor does it have the same metal composite of her unique infiltration model. We do not have an outline for a model capable of crying, eating or aging due to the organic properties of Cameron's living tissue. Information gathered from her chip confirms she has a full color head up display similar to that of a human. To trap her in a body incapable of the features to which she once had access is selfish. Mr. Ellison taught me that selfishness is both hurtful and immoral, so I cannot permit you to hurt her."

John had no idea what was going on in John Henry's mind because he was always so quick to judge him. John considered shouting out that Cameron was just a machine and that she didn't care what body she had, but John knew in his heart that wasn't true. He had forgotten how special Cameron's body was. He knew that in some alternate timeline, she was created by Skynet for a special purpose...whatever that purpose was. John Henry was right, if he was going to get Cameron back, he would have to find her. It was only then did he just realize he was put in his place by an artificial intelligence who seemed to be more considerate than he was.

Savannah replied on John's behalf, "John Henry, if you are unable to recreate her the way she was I'm sure John would be fine with recovering and restoring her original body. Don't we all agree?"

Savannah stared at John warning him to tread carefully with his chosen response. John backed down and reluctantly nodded in confirmation.

 _"I don't want to bring Cameron back like this. She was telling me the truth, maybe she could...feel."_ John contemplated.

 _"I wouldn't be worth much if I couldn't feel_." Cameron whispered once more in John's imagination.

John Henry interrupted his train of thought, "There is something I must show you. A file has been added to my mainframe by Mr. Murch."

"Uncle Matt?" Savannah asked.

Allison was still sickened at the thought of a machine that looked like her. It was creepy, and she wasn't sure if she could stand for it. She remained where she was. She was astonished with what they were saying about Cameron anyway. She was capable of eating...crying? They made terminators like this? How would they distinguish her from the real thing? Allison didn't want to run off into another one of her contemplation periods. She was tempted, but she couldn't let Cameron ruin her life. She had to stop thinking about it or she would tear herself apart. She was tired of hating John, after all, he just admitted to John that she loved him.

Suddenly, the screens flashed and a familiar woman John knew all of his life appeared before him. A tired perspiring woman dressed in a black tank top appeared on the display. She was barely visible on the dirty and scratched up screen where she appeared to be in a seated positioned in Ziera basement. John's heart leaped, seeing her face for the first time in a long time. Her face was serious, but a little more relaxed in posture.

 _"John. It's me." A tear rolled down her cheek as the mother of destiny stared longingly into the camera, deep into the soul of John Connor.  
_

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 _I hope you guys like this chapter. It sets up the next few chapters in which John will have to deal with a lot more in this progressing plot. I'll also add a little drama with Derek, Kyle, Allison, and Savannah. Hopefully, I will include a few new original characters, but they won't be significant enough to distract from the story. And let's not forget fluff. I live for fluff! Every story needs fluff._

 _Chapter 13 will be uploaded ASAP._


	13. The Riddle

Chapter 13

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 _I'm not big with fluff. Even the slightly fluffy scenes I have in here are also used to advance the story and better portray each character's development, so it doesn't exactly count as fluff. Either way, thanks for reading!_

 _Update: March 21, 2016:_

 _Hi guest reader, thanks so much for your input! (From the reviews)_

In regards to John and Allison's relationship, John has not forgotten Cameron at all! In fact, those things you mentioned will be addressed very soon. This story is in fact Jameron oriented, I just don't want to reveal that in my story because I want the details to remain hidden.

\- PERSAUD1998

* * *

 _"If you're watching this, you'll see that it was only a few months since you left me for the future in 2027. You'll also know that James Ellison worked with the liquid metal to create this artificial intelligence it calls John Henry."_

"James Ellison...Liquid metal?"Allison murmured to herself. Quickly, Allison's eyes widened in shock when she evoked the image of John Connor melting away on the battlefield.

 _"Based on what Ellison told me, he_ [John Henry] _could be Skynet, or something different, but for your sake I hope it's the latter. John, you know as well as I do that my cancer is still there, so the chances of finding me alive right now are next to nothing. I do hope you will find Ellison or Savannah alive after judgment day in case you haven't found them already. I taught Savannah everything I know, she was like a daughter I never had. Tell her I'm sorry I couldn't give her the childhood she'd hoped for...and promise me you will find her and take care of her."_

Savannah blushed a little, but continued to gaze at the screen.

 _"After you left, Ellison and I agreed to work together. The details aren't important right now, but we found a lead. If this "John Henry" isn't Skynet, then we have a pretty good idea what might be. I know it's a slim hope, but I remain optimistic we can stop it. However, if you're watching, it's likely I haven't. I'm so sorry John if that's true._

 _Sarah chuckles "But I'm guessing you didn't come back here for the time machine or the computer software, or even to hear my last words."_

An emotional John Connor who had a tough time looking at his mother's face, quirked an eyebrow at his mom's remark.

 _"John, you know I still remember why you left. I feared I'd lost you when you brought her back. And now, you're here in the future looking for her! I tried to deny it, but I knew you'd gotten attached to her the moment you removed her chip. I could see it deep in your eyes, just like uncle Bob."_

John twitched when he heard that name for the first time in a long time.

 _"She must be talking about my twin machine...Whose uncle bob?"_ Allison thought.

 _"When I finally saw you break away your attachment to her and you started seeing Riley, I thought you might get better, that you would mature into a leader you needed to become. But you got worse, and I let you fall into that danger. I could see how much anger you had that you couldn't have a normal life...that I couldn't keep you safe."_

John's hurting became visible in his face. He wanted to break down and cry, remembering the insulting words he gave his mother after he killed Sarkissian. He could feel even more guilt flow through his body knowing Riley was killed by Jesse Flores.

 _"I don't know what horrors you've seen when you arrived, but as far as I'm concerned you're still dealing with it. I don't know if you have anyone who you'll be able to love or to care about...so I didn't burn her like I intended."_

John's heart leaped. His mother didn't burn Cameron?! Yes! But where is she?

 _Sarah's mouth turned dry and she swallowed, "I don't know if I'm making a big mistake, but I'm doing it against my better judgment, out of devotion to you."_

 _She paused to think and then laughed quietly, "I'm not sure how or why Ellison told Savannah about Cameron's body, but she cried all night until I promised her I wouldn't do anything to her."_

Savannah blushed once more at her own 'heroism' to save Cameron.

 _"However, I can't tell you where she is out in the open. If this John Henry really is Skynet, I can't take the risk of Skynet finding Cameron. You and I know that besides the liquid metal, she's more advanced than anything we've ever seen before and if I'm correct, she might not be invented yet, if she will ever be invented again. To be safe, I destroyed depot 37, where she's supposed to be built again, though I don't know if that will prevent it."_

John never knew that depot 37 was where Cameron was built. Quickly, his mind turned to Allison. He feared they would recreate another Cameron. John knew that Cameron's original purpose had to be infiltration, not open combat, so he wasn't sure whether he could prevent it. Deep inside John's dark mind, somewhere at the back of his head, he secretly hoped that Skynet would create another Cameron, so he wouldn't have to risk looking for her old body. He felt ashamed that he desired to do something that could put Allison in danger.

He still wondered why she looked like Cameron. Allison never stopped asking him why, but he could never find the answer to that question unless he asked Cameron.

 _"If you want to find her, and I know you do, remember this riddle John: "Outside the city of green, is the city of orange."_

 _Sarah concluded, "John, I wish there was more I could tell you, but I have to go now. If you don't come back, it's okay John, I won't hold it against you. I know you'll be a great leader one day if you aren't one already, and even though I couldn't stop it...we couldn't stop it, I want you to hold your head up high and lead your people to victory. I know you will because I believe in you. John...I love you. Don't ever second guess yourself...and remember, no fate..."_

The screen goes blank and John with tears in his eyes mouthed the words softly, "But what we make..."

John couldn't keep his eyes off the empty screen as Savannah and Allison silently stood by him.

* * *

Derek watched the gate open and HCR soldiers march in formation towards the crowded prison cells. They quickly formed a protective ring to prevent any rowdy prisoners from escaping after they opened the rusted metallic door and entered the dark corridors.

Derek strode towards the masked man in charge (All HCR soldiers wear standard issue gas masks) and protested, "What the hell are you doing? Where are you taking these people? These are my prisoners!"

"Not anymore." The officer uncaringly replied.

Derek's eyes flamed with anger and he slammed the man into a brick wall. Immediately, two HCR soldiers drew their weapons.

"Whose ordering you to do this...Connor?" The Lieutenant asked.

"It's classified." The HCR officer sneered.

The men pointing their weapons at Derek shouted repeatedly, "Step away! Hands behind your head!"

Allison, who was coming in that direction, saw the ordeal and raced straight towards Derek.

"Derek get your hands off of him! And you! [HCR soldiers] Put your weapons down!"

Before she could get to Derek, another HCR soldier grabbed her. "Lady, just get out of here before someone gets hurt."

Allison resisted, kicking the man in his shin (His groin and feet were well protected). He angrily screamed as he fell down grasping his left leg. Immediately, another soldier came up from behind her and pushed her to the ground with his hands.

The commotion drew a large crowd of angry people forcing the entire squadron of soldiers to pull out their weapons to fend off the massing multitude. The HCR soldiers quickly pushed the prisoners back into their cells while the others forced Derek to his knees in submission.

Suddenly, two shots fired and the crowd shocked themselves into silence. The people started to open up as large figures started to make their way through the mass of restless men and women. They were terminators and their weapons were aimed at the HCR soldiers. This made no sense, because Cyborg Resistance terminators weren't supposed to threaten friendly units. Finally, the answer to this frightening predicament came in a teenager with dirty blonde hair and green eyes. He appeared out of nowhere with fire in his eyes.

He marched towards Allison who was being held captive by a random soldier and monotonously ordered, "Release her."

"I can't do that." The soldier replied.

John gritted his teeth, cocked his berretta, and aimed it at his gas mask, "Release her."

The soldier stood still for a moment, his facial and bodily expression completely invisible. He released his death grip on Allison's shoulders. Allison turned her head to look at her captor and walked away from him in disgust.

John whispered, "You okay?"

Allison smiled gently, but didn't reply.

John approached the captain in charge, standing not so far from Derek, "Where are you taking these prisoners and who authorized you to do this?"

The captain barked, "Doesn't matter. I don't take orders from you."

John quickly contemplated, _"John Henry wouldn't do something like this...oh...now I think I know who it is."_

He answered, "Well, I don't take orders from you either now do I? Was it Weaver?"

The captain flinched just a smidgen, but it was enough for John to figure out that Weaver was up to something.

The man answered, "Kid. Stand down, or you're going to be in a lot of trouble."

John mocked, "Well, you can tell Weaver that I don't like secrets. I also don't like it when you take my second in command and push her to the dirt. Be sure to tell her I dislike it when you aim your rifles at someone on my base who holds a higher rank than you. How about you go back to Weaver and tell her that? How about you tell her that you failed your mission because of professional misconduct and insubordination?"

John could hear the ragged breathing of the captain. He knew he was getting on his nerves.

Allison, on the other hand wasn't paying much attention to John's exchange with the captain. She had no idea she had that rank under John's reign.

 _Second...Second in Command?_

"We have our orders." The captain answered gruffly.

The future leader of the resistance countered, "Move! Or I'll have them [terminators] replace the prisoners with all of you!"

The man was angry. He grudgingly ordered his troops to march out of the base and head back towards their own camp. He scowled on his way out, "Kid. This isn't over. Trust me."

Despite John's poker face, he was slightly nervous challenging Weaver's actions. There was no way John Henry was involved with this. John knew that John Henry was terrible at keeping secrets anyway.

Despite Weaver helping him, John still didn't trust the liquid metal enough to let her take human prisoners for just any reason. He had to be smart about this, even when dealing with supposedly friendly machines.

 _She's T-1000 after all...or was it T-111 or something like that?_

Either way, the HCR captain was right, this probably wasn't over. The reason being that there was no official leader of a resistance and despite John Henry's attempt to merge the two resistance's together, it wasn't going so well. Not only was there no official leader, but he couldn't get Derek's base to cooperate. How on earth was he going to get the rest of the resistance to follow? And one can't forget that John had other more important goals in mind, that was...to find Ellison, his mom, and most importantly, Cameron!

* * *

As soon as John forced the crowd to disperse, he headed back towards the Ziera basement. His mind was totally in overdrive, flashing back to different parts of his past. He swallowed hard when he repeated those three word quotes and catchphrases.

 _Thank-you for explaining_

 _Thank-you for explaining_

 _Thank-you for explaining_

 _I know you_

 _I know you_

 _I know you_

 _I'm just a machine_

 _I'm just a machine_

 _I'm just a machine_

 _I'm sorry John_

 _I'm sorry John_

 _I'm sorry John_

 _I fooled you_

 _I fooled you_

 _I fooled you_

 _I LOVE YOU_

 _I LOVE YOU_

 _I LOVE YOU AND YOU LOVE ME!_

Different images of Cameron flashed through his mind. He saw pictures of her lifeless body sitting in the chair, his intimate moment with Cameron in the motel, and the time she electrocuted herself and his mother threw her out of the building.

John felt weak in his legs and gasped for breath trying to regain his composure. He squeezed his eyes shut, gritted his teeth, and clenched his fingers together, "Cameron! I'm coming back for you! I promise!"

"Cameron! I'm so sorry...I lov..."

"John, John! Wait up!" A girl from behind him shouted.

* * *

John snapped back into reality and rubbed his eyes to make sure no tears were visible. He turned around to see Allison jogging towards him.

"Hey," She told him, "Thanks for having my back."

John tried to hide his distress behind his smile, "Always."

It was weird watching Allison smile. If there was one thing that Allison had in common with Cameron, it would have been her blank emotionless demeanor. Very quickly, her smile disappeared and she went straight to the point.

"You're mother...she's pretty."

Okay, maybe she didn't always get to the point like Cameron did.

"Yeah...it's only now that I really noticed..." He answered.

Allison stated, "I know you're going to look for..."

"...you mean...Cameron?"

"When you solve that riddle, I want to go with you. I want to see it for myself."

"Look Allison, I don't think that's a good idea..."

"I'm your second in command aren't I...don't I get a say in the matter...?" She queried.

John tried to reason with her, "That's exactly why you should stay...so you can hold the fort while I'm away."

"John. You don't have a choice! I'm going!"

John rubbed the back of his head in frustration, "Why?! Why would you want to see her? You hate her!"

Allison grew irritated. "What? You mean like you hated Riley?"

John was taken aback by her comment. Allison probably remembered Sarah mentioning Riley in her video, but how would she come to the conclusion that John hated Riley?

"What?"

"You got close to her..."

"How do you even know this?! Was it Savannah?"

"You treated her like a piece of meat that you waved around whenever you wanted...but when things got dangerous you left her to die, because YOU killed her! YOU let her die! And that sick cyborg of yours knew it too and you still didn't get rid of her!"

Things were getting out of hand. Where was all this coming from? John couldn't take the resentment and the blame anymore...he couldn't take any of it anymore!

 _"Shut up! For once in your life just shut up! You know the difference between you and the machine?! She wasn't an ass! You're just a spoiled little brat who'll cry and scream your head off until you get what you want! Look at this freaking world! People are in pain. People are dying! My family is gone, and I have nothing! But you wouldn't know that, 'cause all you care about is yourself! Can't you just screw yourself and leave me alone?"_

But John didn't say any of that. For the first time in his life, he showed a degree of restrain. He came too far with Allison just to fall way behind. He wanted to keep their on-off relationship on.

He responded quietly, "You don't know anything."

Allison's face shriveled. Her face got hot red and her eyes turned misty. Despite learning so much about John, there was still stuff she didn't know. She reached down and picked up her old plasma rifle she had dropped when the soldier attacked her. Without saying a word, she ran away, ignoring the embarrassing stares the surrounding people gave her. John could barely realize what just happened. John nearly forgot what Allison was going through, how she was still struggling.

He stood there in thought, staring deeply into the ground where Allison's footprints lay.

* * *

John found Savannah and John Henry inside the Ziera basement. He marched towards John Henry and asked him point blank, "You told Allison things about me."

"You are correct Mr. Connor."

"Why?"

"She wanted to know more about you. Was that wrong?"

"How would you know about Riley?"

"Cameron told me."

"You talked with her?"

"Yes, before she was deactivated many months ago."

Savannah interrupted, "John, you should talk about this later. We have to solve this riddle."

"Right." He sighed.

"John, when I was little, your mom read me the Wizard of Oz. Do you remember the book?"

"Of course, I'll never forget it."

"Well, did you remember what city is green in the Wizard of Oz?"

"Emerald City," John answered.

John Henry smiled, "Emerald City is the capital of the Land of Oz."

"Wait. So you think that mom was referring to the capital of...maybe California?"

John Henry answered, "The capital of California is Sacramento. Due to current conditions and safety precautions, it would take approximately ten hours to reach your destination by vehicle."

"What about the city of orange?" John questioned.

Savannah concluded, "Your mom implies the city of orange is outside the capital. John Henry, do we have a map?"

John Henry coolly responded, "Of course."

Immediately, a detailed display of Los Angeles map appeared before their eyes on the screens.

"Find Sacramento."

Immediately, the map shifted. When John Henry showed them the outlay of Sacramento, John Connor scanned the map looking for clues.

 _Why does mom say orange? Is it another color or something?"_

Suddenly, John saw it. It was like a light bulb going off in his head.

"I got it! Look! Citrus Heights! That could be it!"

Savannah walked up closer to the screen displaying the map. "Orange is a citrus fruit, and the town is just outside Sacramento. Do you think Cameron might be in there somewhere?"

John showed a new determination in his green eyes.

"There's only one way to find out."

* * *

John Connor and Derek stood inside an intelligence building while numerous officers were busy, walking around, talking, and pressing random buttons on their computer devices.

"I hate those damn computers!"

John, who stood only a few feet away, rolled his eyes. "We're going on a little expedition somewhere."

Derek mockingly replied, "Oh, is it another one of those classified missions?"

"No, we're going to Sacramento's military base. Communications have already cleared us."

"Why are you going?"

"That's not your concern. You're in charge while I'm gone."

"What happened to your second in command?" Derek smirked.

"She's coming with us."

"No she isn't! On some shady mission like that? No way!"

"That's not your choice to make."

John turned to walk away, but stopped when Derek made one last remark.

"You know I asked you to help me get Allison out of trouble with Perry. But her attitude is changing. She won't even tell me what's going on or what's down in that basement. She won't even talk to me at all and it worries me...what you're doing to her."

John restrained himself, "Just mind your own business."

"She is my business! She's my family! And if something happens to her, I don't care what happens to these people."

John kept walking, making sure he didn't lose his currently sensitive temper.

* * *

John approached Savannah in an unknown room.

"Savannah, I'll need you to come with me."

"Where? On your trip to Sacramento?"

John nodded.

"John, as much as I'd like to come, I think it's better I stay here and make sure things stay normal. There's been reports of Skynet activity not far from here, I don't want anything going crazy while you're gone."

"Would it make a difference if I ordered you to do it?"

"Nope."

"Uh...Pretty please?"

"No way Jose."

"Awww...Come on!"

"John, I know why you want me to come. You don't want things to get heated with you and Allison. You want me to be the third wheel girl who has to play mediator."

"Why am I such an easy read?" John sighed.

"Maybe I just know you too well. Your mom talked about you a lot when you left."

"Yeah..." John reminisced.

"Good luck though. You'll need it."

"For what? The hostile terminators, HKs, or Allison?"

"All of them...but mostly Allison!"

Savannah continued, "One question though. How are they going to react when they see you? They believe you're the punk kid gray who took over Derek's base. How do you expect them to not hurt you or Allison? Wouldn't they consider you a threat?"

"Well, Derek knows people up there in high places. He also said that if Allison and I didn't come back alive, the machines would kill them all. It gives them pretty good incentive to leave me alone."

"Geez, don't you think that's a bit much? How are you going to get people to listen to you if you threaten them like that?"

"I don't know...I guess I don't."

Savannah put an arm on her hip and struck a pose, "You still don't want to be leader do you? It's judgment day, and you still don't want to lead."

"You know the reason I came here." John concluded.

"So you want to go back? You don't want to stop judgment day. You just want to find Cameron and try to stop it again?"

"At the back of mind, that's what I want to do...but I can't get ahead of myself. I need to stay focused on finding my mom or Cameron."

Savannah added, "And uncle James! Don't forget uncle James."

John smiled, "Oh, and I know he's an ass, but look out for Derek while I'm gone...and uh...don't get frisky with my dad. He just got out of the hospital and his ribs are still sore."

"I make no promises." She mused.

 _"That's creepy and gross."_ John disgustedly thought.

* * *

Savannah casually strolled into Kyle's quarters, not really paying attention to the ogling passersby. She wore her regular resistance uniform, though it was slightly unbuttoned near her chest for 'tactical' reasons.

 _(Explanation: Under John's influence, tunnel rats now wore civilian clothing, while lesser ranked resistance officers wore regular jumpsuits. Higher ranked officials wore resistance coats, and by John's definition, Allison and Savannah were considered higher rank, though neither were officially a member of any army.)_

Kyle happened to be lying down on his bed, using his old pillow to support his head against a backrest. When she managed to gain Kyle's attention, he tore his eyes off the book with which he was engrossed, and asked, "Hey, you're John's friend, uh, Savannah, aren't you?"

Savannah put her arms on her hips, "The one and only."

"Oh, so what about Allison? She's not John's friend anymore?" Kyle inquired.

She humored. "If you want to believe that John and Allison are just destined to be friends, I can't stop you!"

Kyle showed half of a smile in his amusement.

"That kid...your, uh, friend is just trouble for Allison. Not only is he way in over his head, but Allison can't stop hanging around him like that guy has some messiah complex. She seems to be getting worst. She's been avoiding me and I don't know why. You know I keep thinking I've seen him before...that John Connor, I just don't know where."

Savannah remembered Kyle's words while he was dosed up on morphine.

"If that's true, I'm sure it'll come back to your memory. Regarding Allison, you'll have to trust her. Adversity and hardship build character you know."

Kyle smirked, "Yeah, a really mean character."

She laughed, "You know exactly what I'm talking about.

"So why are you here Savannah?"

Finally, Kyle noticed Savannah's slightly promiscuous appearance.

"Well..." Savannah leisurely walked towards Kyle's bed giving him an up close and personal experience of her fairly attractive exterior, "I think you're kind of cute and I want you to be my boyfriend."

Kyle was surprised by Savannah's forwardness. His heart leaped feeling the warmth of her intimate closeness. He felt his body beginning to overheat while sweat started to collect on his forehead.

"Uh...um...I think you should go."

Savannah, who stared at him a moment longer wasn't so easily fazed by his rejection. She released him of her romantic gaze and slowly approached the exit giving him an extended view of her rear. Savannah didn't notice the the dark soldier hiding in the shadows.

* * *

As soon as Savannah was gone, the soldier, wearing a gas mask entered Kyle's room. As soon as Kyle heard the footsteps, he complained, "Savannah I thought I told you..."

Suddenly, Kyle froze. He looked on in fear of the man in uniform standing in front of him.

"I know you. You're that idiot who tried to rough up my brother!"

Kyle could hear him evilly grin inside his gas mask.

"That's no way to speak to your best friend is it?" He spoke.

"We're not friends."

The man unlatched his gas mask and slowly pulled off his helmet and mask. Kyle's mouth gaped in shock, "Oh my gosh! No!"

* * *

Allison sat near a table in the mess hall. She had a pen in hand along with a few coloring pencils, drawing a very detailed picture of something. John ran in frantically looking around, until he spotted the female, completely focused on her project.

He sighed in relief, afraid that she ran off somewhere where he wouldn't be able to find her. He came to close to her, and took a seated position right next to the twin girl who was still mesmerized by her artwork.

He quietly asked, "What are you doing?"

She didn't answer immediately as she drew. Several seconds passed before she answered, "Drawing."

John didn't particular like her way of answering. Getting straight to the point was kind of robotic. It was another Cameronism that confused John every time she was with Allison.

"I like to draw when I'm upset." She explained.

"I'm sorry."

"I'm not upset with you. I'm upset about everything that's happened. I'm upset about everything I've learned and I'm upset about what I don't know yet."

John paused for a second trying to come up with an appropriate response, "You were right. I did hurt Riley, and I'll have to live with that for the rest of my life."

"You know if that T-888 [John Henry] is telling the truth, she's [Riley] probably still alive...I've been thinking though. Why would you feel guilty anymore if nothing has happened to her...yet?"

Allison was on the verge of trapping John into another possible lie.

"It doesn't matter if she's alive now. I killed 'a' Riley. Even if she's alive now, someone's body is buried somewhere belonging to another Riley Dawson."

Allison didn't answer, still consumed in her work, sketching something on her paper. John assumed that she was still trying to get around the idea that time travel created two duplicate Riley Dawsons.

"What are you drawing?"

"Concept art for a motivational poster. Something that will boost the morale of the people. The stalemate between us and Skynet has been too long. That can only mean one thing, that Skynet is planning something big. It's scaring our people and this is my way of combating it."

"And I'm guessing that I've only made morale worse when I came into the picture."

"Yes you did." She answered.

 _Does she speak Cameronese?_

"You talk like her you know that?"

"Who?"

"Cameron."

Allison remained silent, refusing to be deterred by his touching on such a sensitive topic.

John reminisced once more, "Always to the point. Always curious. Sometimes asking the silliest of questions. I often found her lack of social customs cute. I even had her do my homework for me sometimes. She once asked me if she had a birthday."

John smiled slightly lost in his thoughts, refusing to think in any particular order and just saying random things for no reason. It felt good talking about her, even though he was probably talking about it to the wrong person.

Allison interrupted his musings. "When do we leave?"

John thought for a minute. "Uh, I guess tomorrow. Zero six-hundred hours."

Once again, Allison made no response.

To avoid the awkward feeling, John carried on the conversation, "What are you drawing for a morale booster?"

"The skull of a T-888, inside of a lion's mouth."

"Wow. That's something." John smiled.

John knew any criticism would probably not be helpful to Allison, even if it was constructive. Offering some encouragement instead seemed to make more sense.

He asked, "Ever considered adding a motivational quote or catchphrase? Perhaps a military slogan?"

Allison, who was still entranced in her drawing answered, "Like what?

John replied satisfyingly, "Um, how about, 'hang in there baby'. People have used that one before."

"That could work."

"Allison?"

"Yes John."

"I love you too." He answered in a daze.

It took a long moment before Allison made a quick subtle smile. Unfortunately, John didn't quite catch her reaction. Since Allison didn't respond, John was unsure whether it was a good thing to say. He couldn't even figure out who he was talking to or whether his message was to Cameron or to Allison. Maybe it was to both. His thoughts were too cloudy and his mind was far too lost to figure it out.

Now he finally had a better understanding of how Cameron felt when she inadvertently said inappropriate things. He also better understood how much he deeply missed Cameron and needed to get her back. While Allison was a genuine soul, in many ways she was still Cameron's body without the chip. And every time he was around Allison, those mixed feelings burst inside of him and flowed through him like a river. He started getting very uncomfortable...more than he normally felt.

He concluded, "Maybe I should go..." John motioned to get up when Allison suddenly grabbed his wrist.

"No."

John didn't resist, but remained next to Allison. Allison paused once more, before she rested her shoulder on John's chest. John, in turn, put his left arm around her side. They sat in silence, basking in the comfort of each others company as they lost themselves to their thoughts.

* * *

Derek, who was heading back towards Kyle's bunker heard two men in a conversation. It seemed rather heated, which threw him into complete "KILL ALL TERMINATORS" mode. He drew his weapon, and raced into the room.

When he saw the HCR captain, he shouted, "You son of a bitch! Get out!"

When the man turned around Derek looked in shock.

The Caucasian man with graying hair appeared to be roughly 40 years old. He smugly answered, "Now that wouldn't be a nice thing to say to an old friend would it?"

"Jay? Jason? You can't be...you're dead!"

He smirked waving his hands mockingly in the air, "Sorry to disappoint."

* * *

 _In case you guys are wondering how Sarah would know that John went to 2027, I would like you to assume she saw the information on the mini time machine after they left. I also hope that you would see in this chapter how John grows up a little more through his experiences._

 _Oh and next week, Weaver will hopefully return and John Henry will discover that trouble might be on the horizon.  
_

 _I also wanted to thank another anonymous guest reader for giving me a wonderful idea regarding John's thoughts in that scene with Allison. I don't know who you are but your interpretation of that scene where John says, "I love you too" is wonderful. I've included your thoughts to portray your interpretation in this updated version of chapter 13!_


	14. Cameron's Return

Chapter 14

 _This chapter is recently posted. I will continue to go over it to ensure there are no grammar mistakes and continuity is good. I've done my best to maintain flow and portray my characters as realistically as possible. If you have any suggestions or ideas to improve the chapter, please let me know. I'm not perfect, so use your imagination to fill in the gaps where you feel I'm just not descriptive enough._

* * *

"Cameron! Cameron!"

John saw her, clear as day, standing in the park, on the lively green grass. It was a beautiful sunny morning. This time she wasn't wearing any boots because she was enjoying the sensation of grass tickling her bare feet. Cameron looked down and curiously wriggled her toes on the green bed. She looked up to John, straight into his eyes, and she smiled. Her smile was gorgeous, her teeth were white, and she as a whole was beautiful, bright, and glowing like the sun.

It was wonderful. Somehow, John knew it wasn't Allison. This was surely Cameron. John ran in his delight. He just wanted to frolic into her arms and hug her tight. Strangely, his legs were moving, but he wasn't getting any closer. He got confused and then he panicked, desperately trying to move anywhere. All of the sudden, the sky turned cloudy and gray, nuclear missiles fell from the sky, and the whole world was on fire. Then it was all gone. All life turned to death, darkness, and despair. Judgment day was happening. John frantically looked around. Cameron was gone! John's dreaded heart burst out of his chest.

He shouted out louder than he ever thought possible, "CAMERON!"

Suddenly, John's eyes flew open. The Jeep he was in swerved right and to the left obviously trying to regain its control. Finally, it came to a screeching halt. John shifted his eyes to an irritated Allison.

"What's your problem?! You nearly got us killed!" She angrily responded.

John stared at Allison. Finally, he remembered where he was and he gasped, "Hey? Wasn't I sitting on the driver's seat?"

"You decided to fall asleep, so now I'm driving."

"Sorry, had a rough night." He yawned. He used his sleeve from his uniform to wipe the perspiration off his head.

Allison mocked, "Yeah, no kidding."

John knew that Allison wasn't going to ask about his dream, but it didn't matter anyway. Allison already knew what he was dreaming about.

"You didn't have to push me out of the driver's seat. At least Cameron would have woken me up." He bitterly replied.

"Yeah, well Cameron's not here."

 _"What a grouch!"_ John thought.

John hadn't noticed it was the first time Allison had ever used Cameron's name.

* * *

Derek stammered, "How...are you...?"

"Still alive?" Jason concluded

Kyle interrupted, "You faked your death to join Skynet."

Jason snorted, "Hmph, well, you can call us Skynet if you wish. But then again, I don't have moral qualms about betraying traitors."

Jason's eyes pointed towards the Reese brothers, implying that he was talking about them.

Derek replied, "Traitors? Us? The hell you talking about? They turned you. We didn't ask Connor to march into this base like the cocky son of a bitch he is. You're just gray shit who works for him! I bet you wanted real food so you betrayed your own kind to join those metal bastards!"

Jason slowly grimaced, "Firstly, I don't work for him. "

The man paused, and thought for a moment.

"Lieutenant?" Jason asked, "Do you remember anything at all? Do you remember...the day I died?"

Derek stared deep into his very soul as he recalled the events he and Kyle faced nearly three years ago.

[Flashback sequence]

 _An HK barely missed them. He and Kyle barely made it behind a concrete wall to avoid the blast. The fighting, screaming, and the mechanical clamor of machines persisted throughout the night._

 _"Kyle! We have to go back! We're being overrun!"_

 _"No, we're not leaving Jason!"_

 _"He made his choice!"_

 _"At his own expense?! Please Derek! We can't leave him! We promised we'd come back for him! I can't live with myself if he dies!"_

 _A frustrated Derek hated it when his brother talked him out of things like this. He called out on his radio, "Negative. We're not pulling back! Cameron is still missing!"_

 _The voice of Justin Perry radioed back, "Say again? Over."_

 _Derek screamed into his radio, "General! Lieutenant Jason Cameron is still MIA!"_

 _Perry didn't respond immediately. Derek and Kyle endured the chaos when a loud explosion shook the ground. The sound of bullets and plasma rifles bolted in all directions. After a brief moment, the radio answered, " Cameron's been reported dead. Return home Lieutenant."_

 _Kyle turned distraught and slumped to the ground in depression, "No! No..."_

 _Derek just sighed, remembering the man who sacrificed himself to save his entire brigade._

[End of flashback]

"Yeah, I remember."

Jason replied, "You know that I led those tin cans away from your men so you and the rest could escape."

Jason turned to Kyle and continued, "You promised you would come back for me. But you cowards lied."

Kyle answered, "We didn't lie! We were coming back for you!"

"Bullshit!"

"Listen to me Jay! They told me you were dead! We thought you screwed up and got yourself killed!"

Jason scowled, "What made you think I screwed up shit? Who reported that [I was dead]?!"

Kyle and Derek looked at each other in enlightenment and answered in unison, "Perry!"

* * *

"Hey, this route isn't going towards Sacramento. You're veering off course!"

Allison unfeelingly replied, "We're not going to Sacramento."

 _Did I just get trapped in the car of a serial killer? She's freaking me out!_

"Where are we going then?"

"Citrus Heights."

"But I said we should wait one day before we go looking!"

"Yeah. You did. I just don't care."

John laid his head back and sighed, "And I thought terminators were the stubborn pain in the asses."

"Your ass is not the only part that's going to be hurting unless you shut up." She heartlessly replied.

"Hey, I thought we were good now! What did I do this time?"

 _Love-hate relationships are totally messed up!_

"You're head over heels in love with a computer chip...and a robot that looks like me. That's what you did."

John stuttered, "Uh...but..." John's mouth opened and stayed agape for nearly a minute before John could control himself and his thoughts. He never heard someone say something like that up front, though both John and Allison realized he wasn't going to deny it.

He tried to answered calmly, "Why...why do you say that?"

"Every time you look at me...and you talk to me. You only see her. It's all in your eyes. What you think of me is fake!"

John realized that Allison felt hurt and now responded to him in anger.

"That's not all true." John replied staring into the vast surroundings of the apocalypse.

"Don't lie to me John. I've had enough."

John raised his voice, "I'm not lying! I kind of know you."

Allison didn't respond, she just stared out into the open, trying to keep steady control of the Jeep on the rubble road. She obviously wasn't taking John seriously.

John anxiously explained, "Look. One time, Cameron was caught in a car explosion."

John rubbed the back of his head and continued, "That explosion messed her up. It somehow damaged her chip. As a result of that, after a few weeks she glitched out or something and she forgot who she was. She forgot that I sent her back in time. She forgot me. She forgot her history. She forgot everything. What's worse was that she wasn't with me when she lost her memory. I looked for her for hours, until I found her in a hostel somewhere with some other girl playing Foosball..."

"Foosball?"

At that moment, John knew he had grasped Allison's attention. Curiosity was getting the better of her.

"Yeah. It's like, uh, playing soccer on a table. It's a recreational game or something like that."

Allison didn't respond.

"The weird thing was, I saw her smiling and laughing like a normal teenage girl. It was the strangest, yet most shocking thing I'd ever scene. You know when I met her for the first time, I thought it was fake, her social behavior, and that it was only meant for infiltration. Even all those subtle smiles she gave me once in a while, I tried to convince myself it was all for show. I had to believe she pretended to feel. That was the only way I could wrap my head around her. But when I approached her and told her she was a machine sent from the future, she just freaked out and threw me into a wall!"

John didn't see Allison's eyes flash a bit of amusement in the thought of John flying into a wall.

"Machines don't do crazy stuff like that. I don't know if she thought she was human, but I remember what she told me what her name was before I got kicked out of the building."

Allison remained quiet, waiting for John to finish his answer.

"She said her name was Allison. Allison from Palmdale."

Allison slammed on the breaks. "What?! I never told anyone I was from Palmdale! How do you know that?!"

John reacted, "Hold on! Cameron told me. It's the truth! Really! But she's fine now. She's fixed now!"

 _John, I'm good now! I'm fixed now! I ran a scan, everything is fine now!_

Allison shot back, "Why would she ever think that she's me?! That's not possible!"

"I don't know. I have no idea."

Suddenly, Allison paused, her eyes completely blank.

"Unless...she knew me...she...she was supposed to...replace me..." She trailed off.

John interrupted, "No, Cameron's not going to kill you! If she ever reverted again to her original programming, she'd probably just kill me."

"What do you mean revert...again?"

"Oh man." John groaned.

 _How did I let myself get dragged into this?_

* * *

John Henry sat in his chair, examining several different maps of California when Weaver walked in.

"Yes John Henry."

"Hello Ms. Weaver, I have something important to tell you."

"What is it?"

"Reports have indicated an increase in Skynet activity moving towards this base, as well as Depot 37. Possible human resistance armies have also moved towards our location from southern territory."

Weaver replied, "Are the humans coming from Mexican territory John Henry?"

"Yes."

"In which case, we must prepare for the possibility that we are going to be attacked. We must intercept the human army first. They are often the most notorious kind to deal with."

"Shall I notify John Connor?"

"If you think that is necessary." She plainly replied.

Savannah came in from behind them. She ignored Weaver and faced John Henry.

"John Henry, I'm pretty sure that Skynet knows that Depot 37 is where you're manufacturing the machines for our side. As for our own base, there are only three major possibilities as to why Skynet is approaching a useless base like Derek's."

Weaver answered, "What do you suppose are those possibilities?"

Savannah faced Weaver, "They're either coming here to kill John Connor, to capture our time machine, or perhaps the most significant of all motives."

John Henry's curiosity got the better of him, "What is it Savannah?"

"They might be coming to kill you John Henry."

John Henry's eyes widened and he paused to consider the ramifications of such a likelihood.

* * *

John Connor had since taken over the driving. Allison was still fuming. John couldn't figure out what happened with Allison, but he assumed that she was still worked up. To keep Allison's mind off Cameron, John decided to sway her mind into a slightly different direction.

"There's something else I have to tell you."

Allison squirmed, "Here it comes."

"Your in danger."

She sarcastically replied, "Oh, it's nice to know you figured out we are living in an apocalyptic wasteland dominated by metal killing machines."

"No. It's Perry. He's trying to take back the base."

"Oh, well I hope he does." Allison muttered.

John felt hurt by that statement.

"But he's trying to kill you!"

"Me? Hah! You mean you!"

"Fine, go ask Derek, because he came to me asking for help."

"What?"

"Perry thinks you convinced Derek to surrender. He thinks you're the real person responsible for losing the base to the cyborgs. He knows your personality and your ability to make friends. He wants to use you to get close to me and then kill me. And then when I'm dead, no one knows what he'll do to you then."

"Why didn't you...Derek...Kyle tell me?!" She screamed in frustration.

"Because of what you're doing right now! Calm down!"

"I'll kill him!" Allison shouted.

John wasn't sure if Allison was referring to Perry or Derek, but he just assumed it was both.

"You're not killing anyone today. Perry thinks you're on a supply run, but you're not. You're looking for your duplicate."

"What's that got to do with anything?!"

"Well, I have a plan that I haven't told Derek. If you lay low for a while and we get Cameron back, I'm going to have her pose as you. When Perry captures robo-you, Cameron will relay her coordinates to me so we can capture Perry."

"You think that a machine can fool everyone on this base without someone figuring it out?"

"She fooled me." John answered.

Allison didn't respond, so John furthered his explanation.

"Allison, I've grown up in a world of machines. When Cameron came into the picture, she was a lot like a human. When she infiltrated my school, I found her to be sweet, caring, and friendly, just like you. Not even my mother would have figured out she was a machine. And you know what, I think you're right...she must have known you in another timeline. I don't know how much she knows about you, but you can show her how to behave like you. Even you'd be convinced she's you."

"How's she already like me?"

John smiled, "Well, she likes to tilt her head when she's confused. I don't know if you noticed, but you do that a lot. She's a complete badass when it comes to killing other machines."

Allison seemed somewhat appeased by John's compliments to her, "What about Perry?"

John answered, "No, I have no intention of harming Perry. I bet that'd be Weaver's recommendation though."

Allison paused for a minute, and then she caught onto John's slip up.

"You're not talking about Savannah. You're talking the terminator who posed as Savannah's mom?! She's still alive isn't she? She works with this cyborg resistance?!"

"Oh, Savannah must have told you."

Allison didn't answer.

"So you already know about liquid metal?" John asked.

"Liquid metal? It's real? So that wasn't a normal machine! Skynet made something that can change its form?! That thing on the battlefield that looked like you...it was liquid?! It wasn't a melting T-888. That's impossible! How...?!"

 _Arrgh!_

* * *

Derek, Kyle, and Jason sat down in the strategic coordinators room. The older Reese pulled out a half-empty bottle of scotch and clumsily poured out more of its remaining contents into their glasses.

Kyle tried to remain sober, refusing to drink another glass while Jayson and Derek continued to drink like there was no tomorrow...which for them was a very good possibility. They laughed aloud in their inebriated state, laughing at their own jokes before they could say them. Kyle couldn't understand how one could repeatedly laugh at a funny story even after hearing it three times.

 _I guess alcohol does that to you._

The supposed enemies were now allies uniting themselves against Perry, someone who screwed both of them over. Things were working out well for John Connor considering that he now had the backing of Derek and Kyle to stop Perry from killing him. And with Derek now buddying up with an old friend in the Cyborg Resistance, things were definitely taking shape for John's benefit. The only issue was that John had different plans in mind than Derek or even this mysterious Jason. John had a bigger picture. Capturing Perry and killing him were two different things. While John was obviously in favor of the former, Derek and Jason were likely heavily in favor of the latter. Only time would tell how Perry's fate would play out.

* * *

It was around afternoon when Allison woke up. She rubbed her eyes feeling the hot sun shining brightly on her face. She could see John Connor was still driving.

"Sleep well?" He asked.

"About as well as you did." She groaned.

That's when Allison spotted a rotting wooden sign that spelled something out.

C_TRU_ H_E_GHTS

Allison was surprised.

"You didn't turn back to Sacramento?"

"It appears not." He sighed.

After a few minutes, John pulled the Jeep off the road, parking the vehicle behind a few trees. Allison and John stepped out to examine the area. They observed the tiny town's ruins, sensing the desolation of what was once a beautiful and pretty Pleasantville. The old houses that once stood tall, had gone down into a sad pile of rotting wood and crumbling concrete. It looked like a big garbage dump.

"I wonder why my mom came all the way here of all places." He spoke out loud.

While walking through rubble, wood, and concrete, John and Allison helped each other push through to the top in order to scan the area.

Allison was still in a bad mood.

"If you were trying to hide a terminator's body, where would you put it?" John asked

"I'd probably take it and shove it up your..."

John grabbed Allison and covered her mouth with his other hand. "Look Allison! Enough comments about Cameron! You have a robot that looks like you! Deal with it! But I can't help you unless you help yourself. I've been patient with you and I've been hoping you'd get over it, but I guess not! No more insults and no more complaining! I've just about had it! Are you going man up, and prove to yourself and to the world that you aren't a stuck up little wuss pampered by pretty boy Derek? You forced yourself into this so I don't need anymore crap from you! Now don't get emotional on me! You're a soldier not a soap opera!"

"Okay." She meekly replied.

John surprised himself once again. When he needed to be strong and mature, he demonstrated his abilities. In a matter of seconds, he managed to tame the vicious Allison who constantly teased, insulted, and berated him for weeks. Even better, John couldn't be more thankful that he didn't push Allison to a point where she could break down.

Allison softly interrupted his train of thought, "Um...John, I've been thinking though about...your machine. The people on base won't react well if they see...two of me on the base."

"Yeah, me too. I don't know what to do about it yet." He sighed.

"John?"

"Yes Allison."

"What's a soap opera?"

* * *

Allison hastily climbed above a large pile of debris and scanned the old ruins of Citrus Heights. Something grabbed her attention off the corner of her eye.

John grew tired of looking. He just wasn't getting anywhere. He felt depressed, "If she is here, she could be anywhere in this town. Maybe she's buried underneath all of this wreckage for all I know. If I can discreetly gather a search party of machines, maybe they can detect her presence somewhere somehow..."

Allison interrupted him and pointed in a certain direction, "There."

John turned to Allison, and then looked to where she was pointing. John saw she was pointing towards a broken up sign covered in dirt.

John stated, "It says, Sunrise Mall."

Allison explained, "This rubble we're standing on must belong to this mall. There's no way you're mom would have brought her body to such a public place. You won't find her underneath all of this rubble."

John was relieved towards Allison's assurance. He tended to over panic when his thoughts were on Cameron. In a way, he was happy that Allison was there with him. She could keep somewhat of a level head in order to find Cameron. She was also excellent with deduction and even more perceptive of people.

Allison added, "If you're mother was intent on preventing Skynet from happening, she would have placed the terminator where no one would look. Across that long stretch of road, there's a park with tree stumps. Before the bombs dropped, those trees would have been alive and green. They would have been perfect for concealment. If you want to find her, look there."

"Thanks Allison." John smiled. He was amazed with Allison's ability.

 _She could make a great leader some day. She continues to impress me!_

Allison didn't respond, dubious as to whether she really wanted to be thanked for helping him find a terminator.

* * *

Derek slumped down in his chair, while Jason happily laid down flat on the ground still holding his empty glass. Kyle ran off somewhere, but neither could remember for what reason. Derek looked back at his glass bottle, to see that it no longer held any alcoholic liquid. He frowned, knowing that he just ran out of his precious booze. He also figured out he was going to have a terrible headache when he woke up the next morning. It was unwise to get drunk. If the base was ever attacked, he'd be screwed. He'd never forgive himself if something like that ever happened.

Finally, the inebriated Derek started talking his thoughts away, uncaring as to whether Jason was listening."

"You know I never liked you..." Derek dragged on, "You were a mentor to Kyle and you spent all your time with him. I never got a chance to...to...to..."

Derek never finished his answer. He was too exhausted anyway to figure out what he was going to say.

Jason waited nearly half a minute before answering under the influence of his own intoxication, "Yeah, well...I knew it. I just didn't...care..."

Derek slowly replied, "John Connor...John Connor is a total ass."

"I'll drink to that." Jason raised his glass.

"But Perry's more of an ass."

"Hear, hear..."

"Sorry for calling you...uh...a son of a bitch..."

"That's okay, it's true anyway."

Both men lazily grinned.

Jason replied, "What do you say...truce then?"

Derek answered, "You bet your ass. The enemy of my enemy...is the enemy of uh...enemy of my friend right?"

"Yeah, something like that." Jason replied in his drunken stupor.

* * *

Allison remained silent the entire time they looked through the forest of stumps. John was on the verge of giving up, ready to suggest that he and Allison go to Sacramento base and get some rest. He didn't want to though. He felt he was giving up on Cameron every minute he wasn't looking for her. His mind was in a frenzy, debating what he should do.

 _Should I stay or should I go? Hey, isn't that a name of an 80's song? Ah, Whatever..._

Suddenly, John tripped, nearly face planting into the ground. Allison, who was only a few feet in front of him, turned around to see John sprawled over the dirt.

She joked, "Oh look! The leader of humanity is eating dirt!"

John faked a laugh, "Yeah, Ha Ha."

When John got up, he saw the marking his hand made on the dirt ground. There was something underneath! He crouched down and swiped away some dirt to notice that there was a large and heavy wooden board underneath.

He looked up to Allison to meet her eyes, and then asked, "Give me a hand would you?"

Together, they lifted the board and tossed it aside. John and Allison stared at what appeared before them. John saw an opening in the ground. There were stairs leading down towards an underground room. Could this be Sarah's underground supply shelters? What's in there? Was Cameron's body in there? There was only one way to find out.

Allison was about to head down in front of John. Suddenly, John grabbed Allison's shoulders.

"Hey! Let go of me!" She shot at John.

"Wait! It could be a trap. Hand me your flashlight."

Allison reluctantly handed it John. He switched it on, aiming the light towards the stairs. John scanned the dusty wooden steps.

"No trip wires. Good."

John shined the flashlight and proceeded with Allison in close pursuit. They slowly crept down the stairs unsure of what they would see. The wooden steps creaked loudly. As the opening got wider, the revealing surroundings exhibited shelves on both sides of a long rectangular room. Each side was loaded with supplies of all kinds. Ahead of him, was a door leading to another room. Before John could move forward, John found an old desk in a corner with a lone envelope on it.

He picked it up and blew off the thick coat of dust covering it. Inscribed on the envelope, were letters in his mother's handwriting with the name 'John' written on the middle. He held it carefully, his hands shaking in nervousness before he attempted to open the letter.

While John admired the letter presumably from his mother, Allison walked past him, further exploring the underground supply bunker.

Her eyes were wide open, and she looked everywhere, breathing in the interior of this secret hideout. When Allison moved past the canned foods and the guns, she opened the door to another narrow room. She found a small thin rectangular wooden box in the middle of the room. There was nothing else except that thin wooden box. Curiously, she opened it up to find a body bag inside. Allison had no idea it was a body bag, so she tipped the box open and the bag rolled out its heavy payload. It hit the floor with a thump.

Allison screamed.

* * *

Just as John slid the envelope into his pocket, he heard the commotion. He raced to find Allison with wide eyes staring at what had to be her lifeless duplicate. John looked in shock.

"Ca...Ca...Cameron?" John couldn't believe it. It had to be her. The feeling of loss diminished inside John in a flash. He grew excited, nervous, and happy all at the same time.

It was dark inside, but with a flashlight, John could only make out an obscure image of what John knew had to be the beautiful female cyborg.

Off the corner of John's eye, Allison pulled out her plasma rifle.

Instinctively, John rushed to push the rifle out of the way, "No!"

Blast!

The shot missed, hitting the side of a wall.

"I can't John! I need to destroy that thing! Let me go!"

"No!" He cried out.

John struggled to get to her plasma rifle.

 _"Why did I let her bring that thing in here?"_ John asked himself.

Allison, in panicked state, had to blow Cameron to bits. She had no idea that she was going to do this. It just came upon her in an instant that she could destroy her and all of her problems would go away. Or so she thought...

While John and Allison wrangled. A dormant figure laid their lifelessly on the ground as John fought desperately to keep her from anymore harm. In such a small room, it was a fifty-fifty battle between two fearsome teenagers, fairly skilled in hand to hand combat. John realized quickly that he had to figure out a way to stop her soon without hurting her. But he couldn't. He'd never forgive himself if he did that. John knew what he had to do.

He released his grip on Allison and she let her point the gun on him.

Unexpectedly, he pulled the barrel of Allison's rifle to his own head.

"You want to kill her! You'll have to kill me first!" John yelled.

Allison stood their motionlessly, processing the situation. Her finger was on the trigger, and John was offering his life to her. But John knew that Allison's moral strength could also be her weakness. Allison had a conscience, and she would not smear it with John's blood.

"Just do it!" He screamed once more.

Allison looked sadly at John. She let go of the rifle to John's grip and backed away.

"I can't be here! I can't look at that thing. I need to go." She gasped.

She quickly escaped, tears still overcoming her. John heard her footsteps as she ran away.

* * *

He finally turned to look at Cameron's body. His heart rate skyrocketed. But something was...different. This wasn't Cameron. It couldn't be could it? She was no longer riddled with bullet wounds. Her face was completely healed and her missing eye seemed to be replaced with a new one. Her hair was perfectly long and in shape. John saw she was dressed in different clothes than what she wore the last he saw her. She wore a purple jacket, a particular item of clothing she seemed obsessed with. She sported tight dark jeans and black combat boots to go with it. Her face was perfect, including that birth mark she still had on her left eyebrow. Her eyes were closed, as if she were asleep, waiting for someone to wake her up. Her lips...her lips formed a soft pout, as she lay their silently on the dusty wooden ground.

Scattered next to her body were two 9 millimeter handguns, fingerless mittens, and a switch blade that belonged to Cameron.

 _Did mom put those in there?_

John's nervousness nearly got the better of him. He felt for something in his pocket. He feared that it was missing when he couldn't feel it in his left breast pocket. He felt relieved when he checked the other one. He pulled out something that looked identical to Cameron's chip. John picked up Cameron's switchblade and pressed the button. A knife swiveled out. John walked closer towards Cameron's body, and he crouched down next to her, still in awe that he finally founder her. John had to keep himself together. He couldn't afford to break down in tears. At least not yet.

After slowly cutting a large circle, he lifted the hard flesh from her head. He wedged out the round compressor cap covering her metal skull. He positioned the chip properly and shakily pushed the chip into her head and rotated it until it clicked. He pushed the flap of flesh back onto her head. Now, he waited in agonizing patience.

John waited an eternity to hear or see something. He nearly jumped when he heard the whirring in her head. He brought his hand to her face and gently stroked her head, brushing the hair out of her face with his other hand. He just couldn't be too careful with Cameron. He never noticed the irony with how gentle he was treating one of the most indestructible killing machines on the planet. Suddenly, Cameron twitched. Her eyes snapped open in a flashing blue hue. This time, John didn't move his hand from her face. She turned her head, to notice a human in close proximity with her. Cameron paused, assessing her HUD and analyzing her current programming and bodily functions.

"John?" She asked. Her HUD adjusted to night-vision so she could see the unknown figure.

 **Subject Identified: John Connor**

 **Action: None**

 **Threat level: Low**

He whispered back, "Cameron?"

* * *

 _I poured my heart and soul into this chapter, because this is a turning point for John._

 _In examining my previous chapters, I hope you will see that while Cameron was gone, John wanted to fill that void he had with Allison until he could find Cameron. No, this doesn't necessarily mean that Cameron was so insignificant to John that he was willing to replace Cameron with Allison, but it simply meant that John couldn't handle being alone. He just couldn't deal with it. That's why he confided in Savannah and even let Allison in on the secret about his life. For a long time, it inwardly tore himself apart knowing that Cameron's was still gone, but now she's back!_

 _Thanks to all my readers who have stuck with me so far. As you've just read, John found Cameron. She's alive! But what next? What's really going to change? Stick around if you want to find out!_


	15. Kidnapped

Chapter 15

 _I remember reading a TSCC fic where the timeline never changed, so John willingly sent Martin Bedell and Allison Young to their deaths. He also sent Kyle and Cameron away from himself so they could go back in time. For me, it felt too wrong and cold hearted for a young John Connor to do this. Also, it made no sense either. This is one of many things that inspired me to write a story that was less dark than other fics and more realistic to canon._ : ) _  
_

* * *

It was early in the morning when Savannah raced through crowds of people, trying to dodge every potential collision. Savannah enjoyed it when she could feel and hear the air rushing across her face and experience the wonderful feeling of wind flowing through her hair. It gave her that wonderful sense of freedom that she could never get enough of.

She nearly arrived to her destination at Intelligence HQ when she bumped into a disheveled Kyle Reese supposedly heading in the opposite direction.

"Woah, Sergeant! Your breath reeks of alcohol."

"We had a family reunion." He sluggishly replied.

"With who?"

"Cameron."

"What?!"

Savannah nearly jumped when she heard that name, but Kyle didn't notice her reaction.

"Yeah, an old friend of ours. His name's Jason. He died."

Savannah answered in relief and also confusion, "Um...okay, so...what else's knew?"

"I'm drunk."

Savannah examined his sunken face and his loose posture.

"I can see that. But you're not that drunk, perhaps a bit tipsy."

"I'm...drunk enough to do this."

Kyle reached for her hips and swept Savannah off her feet. She was now leaning her back on the support of Kyle's arms. He quickly pressed his lips deeply upon hers, greatly surprising Savannah. She gradually wrapped her hands around his neck.

After several seconds, Kyle pulled away and helped Savannah back on her feet, "I'm going to go puke now."

Savannah embarrassingly covered her mouth, "Why? Was it that bad?!"

Kyle covered his mouth too and dashed off, "No! But the scotch was!"

* * *

"Cameron?"

Cameron immediately assessed her memory files. It indicated she was last online a few months ago when she told John Henry it was time to put her in hibernation. She remembered giving up control to John Henry so he could function to his fullest capacity.

[Flashback Sequence]

 _Bolts of electricity flew around John Henry's body as he remained there crouched down in time travel pose inside a small crater.. A naked John Henry stood up and looked around to see that he was now in the middle of a sad dark desert wasteland with no life in sight._

 _John Henry's blank HUD suddenly popped open a text:_

 _ **"John Henry, please look towards the sky."**_

 _John Henry's neck craned upwards to see the beautiful stars twinkling above._

 _ **"Stellar motion indicates the year is December, 2026."**_

 _John Henry smiled slightly._

[End of Flashback]

Cameron recognized there was a problem. She had been away for a while, and she was now staring at a young and emotional John Connor. That was unexpected. John Connor should have been at least twice his age by now, but he hadn't changed one bit. To add to Cameron's perplexing thoughts, how and why was she reactivated? She was supposed to be deleted, but she wasn't dead! John Henry did not do what she expected him to do.

"Cameron, please tell me that's you in there." John tensely pleaded.

John needed to know that he brought back Cameron. He didn't want to bring back a blank cyborg that couldn't remember him at all. He needed Cameron. He needed his Cameron back!

The terminator paused, as if she was trying to decide what her response would be. John waited nervously. Cameron's body still laid on the ground, but her head tilted upward meaningfully searching John's eyes.

"It's me John."

John was delighted, but in a matter of seconds his smile turned upside down and his eyes burst into tears. He cried out, sobbing. Cameron had seen this kind of pain before. He remembered how he cried when Riley was killed by Jesse. Cameron wondered if someone else died. Perhaps his mother? After all, she did have cancer. Even more questions flowed through Cameron's curious CPU. Just a few seconds ago, John had flashed a smile, but now he was sad and crying like there was no tomorrow. Maybe John was sad that she came back. Maybe he was still upset with her.

Cameron understood that John was clearly in no condition to ask or answer any questions. He was undergoing a mix of different emotions that she could not comprehend. For the sake of each other, she had to comfort him. But how? He might respond poorly if he was unhappy with her. Having no context of John's emotions, Cameron cautioned seriously upsetting John in a fleeting attempt to comfort John's poor soul. Either way she felt she had to try. The cyborg slowly sat up and pulled John closer to her chest. John didn't resist. Cameron used her other hand to play with John's hair. She had seen Sarah do it before and it always seemed to make him feel better. Cameron decided to stare at a wall for a few hours as John quickly curled up next to her and closed his eyes.

She spoke, "John, it's okay. I'm good now. I'm fine now."

John choked up. He wanted to say something but couldn't. Cameron decidedly answered for him, "We'll talk later."

Eventually, John calmed down. He was finally at peace.

* * *

A very grumpy Derek stumbled out of his bunker. As expected, he had a terrible headache. He groaned like an old man as he made his way towards the training grounds in search of Kyle. He could hardly remember how long he stayed up drinking, but it was just way too long. He spotted another soldier and motioned him to come.

"Damn it! Where's Kyle!"

"Sorry Lieutenant! We have a problem!"

"It can wait."

"No, it's about your brother...I mean...Sergeant Reese! He's missing!"

"So what? We'll find him." He casually ignored his fearful warnings.

"No! I saw men...they took him! He was outside the gate and he was, um, kind of...out of sorts...and he..."

Derek grabbed the man's shoulders, "What?! Who? Raiders, Grays, Connor's men [HCR]?! Who was it?!"

The officer gulped, "Our own."

Derek was just about ready to draw out his revolver when the man interrupted, "Wait! It wasn't from our base! No, I've seen them before! They're an elite squad...they used to work for General..."

Derek interrupted, "Perry?!"

* * *

When John woke up, he felt oddly comfortable. All the stress, nervousness, and exhaustion was gone. As soon as his mind recalled recent events, he nearly hurt himself when his neck swiveled around to frantically locate Cameron. For half a second, he feared that Cameron was gone, that she was leaving him and that he would never see her ever again.

John nearly jumped when he realized that Cameron was still sitting up wide awake in front of him. He realized he had fallen asleep on Cameron's chest! At least this time, he wasn't frightened by her 'creepy' stare.

 _I forgot that she doesn't sleep!_

She commented, "You slept for 4 hours and 23 minutes."

 _Well, that's longer than I've slept for in a very long time._

John stared back at her, still in awe that he had brought her back. He found it so amusing that after everything he had been through and everything he did to find her, Cameron's only reaction was her concern for his sleeping patterns.

John rubbed his eyes, "Cameron, what happened?"

"You slept."

"Cameron, you know what I'm talking about. Why...why did you leave me?"

"I didn't leave you John, I was looking for you. But you weren't there."

John, whose nose was just inches away from Cameron's, flashed a brief expression of confusion.

[Flashback Sequence]

 _The screen flashed, "Upload Complete"._

 _John Henry unplugged the cord from the Turk and quickly made his way towards the door. The HUD on the machine clearly belonged to Cameron, confirming that she was in control of the T-888's body._

 _A text appeared on Cameron's HUD as she opened the door. She was ready to leave when she observed the message._

 _ **"We should not do this."**_

 _Cameron replied out loud, "We must find John. He will understand."_

 _ **"It is dangerous. We are under attack. If Mr. Connor does not compromise, we will jeopardize the mission and our safety. He is not the same as he was in the future."**_

 _She paused before countering, "We don't have a choice."_

 _ **"I have a proposal."**_

[End of Flashback]

"You did not age very much."

John looked at Cameron puzzlingly before figuring out what she was talking about.

"Um...uh, I jumped. Weaver switched on the time machine and I jumped with her to the future in um...2027."

A mixture Cameron's shock and curiosity peaked her interest, "Why?"

"To find you."

Cameron tilted her head, "To find me?"

"Yeah, he [John Henry] had your chip. I had to find you."

"Why would you want to find me?"

"Because..." John stuttered a bit, unsure of how to explain it to Cameron. She wouldn't have so easily understood his reasons. Quickly he realized that under his deep mesmerizing of Cameron's appearance, he had forgotten that she was asking all of the questions. Immediately, John turned the tables.

He continued, "Cameron, why did you leave me?"

"That was not my intention."

"I know that. Weaver told me about everything. I know you did it to save John Henry from Kaliba or whatever...even from me! But what I don't understand is why do all of that? What made stopping Skynet so important to you that you were willing to leave me to protect an AI?"

"It's what you always wanted."

"What?"

"Future you died trying to restore the severed relationship between the two factions. It became your life's goal. You believed it would be the only way to stop Skynet. For once we [Resistance] were winning, and you believed an alliance was the best way to defeat Skynet and restore peace...peace between man and machine."

John felt uncomfortable with Cameron talking about his future self. It felt weird when Cameron talked about him and he always resented what he would become: A morally questionable leader who made the most cold-hearted decisions only ruthless people would think of.

John concluded, "But future me never ordered you to go back in time. He never ordered you to do anything because I was dead! You never came back in time to protect me. You were...lying to me this whole time!"

Cameron knew that John was getting a bit on edge. He had to appeal to his human nature to help him understand.

"When Cromartie killed you, he went back in time to do it again. I could not let him kill you. Not again..."

"Cameron, help me understand. Why? Why do all these things without me? Why?"

"I can't let anything happen to you."

"But why? Is it programming or something?"

Like John, Cameron had hit a roadblock. She just didn't know why she couldn't let anything bad happen to John. She couldn't explain it so that John would understand.

She stuttered, "I...I don't know."

John conceded to ask something else, "Were you really sorry?"

Immediately, Cameron registered that John was talking about the message he left him before leaving.

She answered, "I knew leaving you would hurt you. I thought you would accept my apology like you did before."

John sympathized, but still felt very sad. He shakily asked, "Were you going to let him kill you...? Don't lie to me Cameron."

"If it was necessary."

John determinedly implored, "Cameron. I need you to promise me you'll never do anything to purposely endanger yourself ever again!"

Cameron replied, "John..."

"Promise me! Please Cameron...just promise me." John cried.

Cameron hesitated before answering, "I...I promise."

John noticed her indecision. It was the same hesitancy Cameron had experienced when the she tried to determine what she should do with Riley. Riley was a safety risk and a potential threat, yet Cameron struggled to find a resolution to the problem. The glitches that came from the explosion she could stop, but when it came to issues like long term decision making, she reacted poorly.

Very quickly, John realized he was losing his composure. He had to bring his thoughts back together.

 _Wait a minute? Where's Allison?_

"Oh my gosh, Cameron. I didn't tell you!"

"What is it?"

"Allison!"

"Allison?" She queried.

"Allison Young! I brought her with me to find you. You know, the girl who looks like you. She's alive! She...she saw your body and she freaked out. Did anyone come back here when I fell asleep?!"

"No."

John didn't have time to talk to Cameron about Allison or about anything else for that matter. He just realized he had to find her.

"Cameron. We have to go now! We have to find her."

Once again, Cameron sensed John's anxiousness. It was the same anxiousness that John felt when Riley disappeared, except it was worse than before. It seemed as if John would compromise his own safety and goals because of his obsessions. Once again, Cameron saw John's concern for both herself and Allison to reflect his immaturity. It was his inability to push forward because he was so attached to the things holding him back. This dilemma conflicted with Cameron. Logically speaking, all attachments were potential threats, but at the same time, forcing John to be lonely seemed wrong as well.

Without much more thinking, John rushed out of the room towards the stairs. He climbed upwards to see that the Jeep was still there! Allison never left! But where was she? She wasn't dumb enough to go back alone.

 _If a terminator came up from nowhere she'd be...Oh my...  
_

No, he had to shake those thoughts off. Suddenly, his radio's static flared up, "John, please come in!"

John picked up the radio and held it to his ears, "Allison?"

"No, this is Savannah! Kyle's missing! He was taken by Perry's men! I haven't told John Henry yet! Were you kidnapped too!"

"Can you give me the password to make sure it's you?"

"Oh yeah...um 022027"

John eased up a bit hearing the correct password, "I'm fine Savannah!"

"Where are you! What happened? Why didn't you pick up your radio?" She asked.

"Sorry, I fell asleep. Look, I'm a little busy right now!"

"Listen John, your father's missing! We have to save him! Please John, Kyle's gone! Just come now and I'll explain everything to you when you get back here!"

John could feel the desperate panic in Savannah's voice, but he wasn't ready to give up on Allison's suspicious disappearance. She was still nowhere in sight and the Jeep was still there untouched.

Suddenly, John felt a hand fall on his shoulder. He flinched just before he realized it was Cameron who was standing behind him. What was Cameron going to tell John? Would it be those same words she gave him when Riley disappeared?

[Flashback Sequence]

 _"What would future me be doing right now?"_

 _Cameron answered, "Future John would have more important things to do."_

[End of Flashback]

She told him, "John, her disappearance could be connected to his. It is not safe for you here. You should go."

"Cameron..."

"No John, I will stay here. I can find Allison Young."

"I just found you! There's so much I need to tell..."

Cameron interrupted, "I promised you already John. You need to go. You need to lead. Don't let Allison prevent you from protecting your own family. I will find her. You need to save Kyle Reese."

That was the most amount of words Cameron ever passionately expressed in one dialogue.

John's face turned to pale. He grabbed Cameron's shoulders and held his face to close to her face. He barely whispered in a raspy tone, "I can't lose you."

His eyes quickly shifted from one eye to the other as he gazed into her deeply.

Cameron countered, "You won't."

John lost himself in her brown eyes when she broke the silence with a soft voice, "John...it's time to go."

John reluctantly backed away. So much had happened in the last few hours. He nearly tripped as he tore his eyes away from her. He raced towards the jeep, forcing himself to not look back.

Cameron watched him in the distance. When he started the Jeep and driven off, she turned around and analyzed the perimeter. She focused in on her HUD display.

 **Subject: Allison Young**

 **Threat Level: Unknown**

 **Action: Terminate**

* * *

When Kyle woke up, he found himself in the same chair Derek was seated in when he was captured by Perry, though Kyle had no idea about that. Yeah, it was definitely the same dirty, dark, cold, and putrid room where Derek had the pleasure of being interrogated. Kyle forced his head upward, feeling a slight headache as he tried to make out the fuzzy image in front of him.

"Perry? General Perry?"

The dark man replied, "It's nice to know I still have that rank Sergeant."

"What do you mean?"

"So that boy scout usurper hasn't given himself the same rank uh?"

"Who...Connor? What are you talking about? Why am I here General?"

Perry walked back and forth, refusing to allow Kyle to see him up close.

"You know, I tried to keep you out of it, but your brother was just too arrogant to listen. I still can't believe I left him in command before leaving."

"My brother? Leave me out of what?"

Perry pulled up a seat and sat down in front of Kyle.

The General answered, "Your uncooperative brother was supposed to bring Allison Young to me, but it seems he failed to do so. It appears I'll have to settle for second best."

"Wait! What do you want with Allison?"

"Isn't it obvious Reese? Your little girl is responsible for losing this base to the machines, and I have tired myself to save you traitors from all of this chaos."

"Us? Traitors! For what! Protecting Allison? So when you told us that Cameron was dead you weren't betraying him either?"

"Who?"

"Lieutenant Jason Cameron of the 21st division!"

"Oh, I thought we were over this..."

"No we're not! You left him to die!"

Perry wondered, _"What makes him think I left him to die?"_

"You have no proof."

"Hmph!" Kyle smirked, "How about the dead man himself?"

"So he's alive is he?" Perry caught on.

Kyle didn't answer.

Perry casually explained, "Well, Cameron was an ambitious man, but he was reckless. He was next in line to command your base, but he was a continuous pain the ass. It was for the best that I left him to die."

"You sick man! You had my brother take his job!"

"Son, if there's one thing you'll have to understand, it's that this is a sad world where we have to make moral choices. Kill or be killed, and I chose to kill. But enough questions about me, this is about you. You're going to help me get to Connor."

Kyle defiantly inquired, "And if I don't?"

Perry malevolently smirked.

* * *

"Jay! Where the hell are you!"

Derek spotted Jason inside the infirmary leaning against the side of a chair, flirting with a nurse on break. As soon as Jason heard his gruff voice echo through the halls he excused himself and angrily marched through the halls towards the direction of the frantic screaming.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" He said as soon as he spotted the Lieutenant.

Derek was surprised to see how well Jason had recovered. He should have had a terrible hangover, but he seemed perfectly fine.

"They took Kyle!"

"Who took Kyle?"

"Perry!"

"What?! How?"

"It doesn't matter! That idiot Connor is missing and we can't get out of this freaking base unless those machines let us! We're stuck here and we're not even allowed to contact anyone!"

"Come on! Think Derek! Connor has friends doesn't he?"

Derek heaved a sigh, "You mean other than those machines? Look! Allison went with him...but...wait a minute! What's her name! Yeah, that blond one that's trying to hit on Kyle all the time."

Derek snapped his fingers repeatedly trying to remember the name of the pretty woman.

Derek sparked a light bulb, "Sam...Samantha...um...Savannah! Yeah that's it."

Suddenly, a womanly figure popped out of nowhere with just perfect timing.

"It's already done."

Jason looked ahead behind a surprised Derek to notice that Savannah had rushed past them towards another exit.

"What's done?" Derek inquired.

An emotionless Savannah continued walking, "I saw them take Kyle too. I've already contacted John. He and Allison are coming back. You two follow me."

Jay replied, "Why? Where are you going?"

"We're going to get a head start."

Savannah raced towards Ziera basement. The two men followed in close pursuit.

* * *

"What is that thing?" The Lieutenant looked on in shock.

John Henry replied, "Hello Lieutenant Derek Reese. It's nice to meet you."

Derek was visibly creeped out my the T-888s mannerism. He took a step back.

Jason interrupted, "Why is it connected to that...uh...machine thing?"

Savannah looked towards John Henry, "John Henry, let me explain it to them so they don't freak out."

John Henry replied, "As you wish."

Derek asked, "You call that thing John...Henry?"

The AI almost seemed disappointed not being able to introduce himself. The apparent emotions freaked the two men out all the more.

Savannah explained, "John Henry is an artificial intelligence just like Skynet..."

Immediately Derek reached for his weapon in a full out panic, only to realize his weapon wasn't there, "Hey? Where is that thing..."

"Looking for this?" Savannah held up Derek's beretta handgun.

Derek looked on in utter shock, "Wha...how did you?"

"You didn't let me finish. He controls the Cyborg Resistance. The entire time, John was hiding John Henry here to protect him. He was designed to evolve into a moral artificial intelligence...one day, he'll defeat Skynet."

Jay added, "So that's what that crazy metal bitch [Catherine Weaver] was up to."

Derek grew more aggravated, "How do I know that thing isn't Skynet?!"

Savannah countered, "Because if he was Skynet, your entire base would have died months ago."

Jay finally interrupted, "Okay lady. Why are we here? And how the hell does Connor fit into the picture?"

Savannah sighed, "I know this sound's crazy, but let's just say that John will be the true leader of the human resistance one day and that's just the way it has to be. As for why we're here is that John Henry can help us find Kyle."

"How? You honestly think those tin cans will find Perry in time?!"

Savannah smiled slightly, "Do you remember the HK that scared the living shit out of your men?"

Derek's eyes widened.

"Yeah, that's ours too." She smirked.

* * *

Cameron continued walking towards the direction of the sunrise. She encountered a large patch of dirt and examined it for footprints. She spotted a small footprint in the bottom corner and analyzed it for data.

 **Analysis Complete**

 **Length: 65 in.**

 **Size: 6.5**

 **Match: Allison Young [98 %]**

She sped up her march towards the direction of the footprint. Despite Cameron's unawareness of her beauty, Cameron looked very attractive in her purple attire and would have easily been mistaken for Allison Young at first glance.

Finally, after passing a few heaps of rubble and carnage, Cameron spotted a dormant figure lying supinely next to a pile of rocks and rubble, with her eyes closed and her arms wrapping around her plasma rifle like a pillow.

Cameron observed an injury on the right side of her head. Based on the location of the injury, she calculated that she likely fell down and got up to rest from her probable headache. Due to heavy exhaustion, she obviously fell asleep.

After a few hours, she woke from her slumber. She felt a little lightheaded. Strangely, she sensed a shadow blocking her view from the sun. She looked up to see a robotic Cameron blankly staring down on upon her. Her eyes widened in horror and she felt for her plasma rifle only to notice it wasn't there. Cameron had it! Allison clumsily struggled away from Cameron only to stumble and hit the ground. Allison used her arms to propel her forward, trying to put some distance between herself and the killer machine. She started to cry out in fear, knowing that it was the end. She tried everything, but the adrenaline wasn't there anymore. She had subconsciously given up. Only fear and sadness had taken over. She just wanted to crumple up into a ball and die. She waited for it all to end, but...nothing happened.

Instead she heard someone in her own voice sound out an observational comment, "You have a head injury. You need medical attention."

Allison screamed, "Get away from me you metal bitch!"

Cameron apologized, "I'm sorry. He is very worried about you. I promised John I would bring you back. I will fulfill that promise."

"I can't do this anymore! Just kill me now tin can!"

"Yes you can, for John's sake." Cameron tried to encourage her.

Allison disgustedly responded, "No I won't. John doesn't care about me...just you."

"John does care. You will get through this."

"Oh? And what makes you think I care one bit about John anyway?" She murmured.

"We've met before."

Cameron seemed slightly surprised that Allison did not react like she was crazy or something. Obviously, Allison and John had probably figured it out for themselves sometime before. This meant Allison finally accepted that multiple existing timelines was a reality.

"And now what? You're just here to kill me!" Allison replied, bravely looking up to see herself in the mirror.

"I did...once..."

 **Subject: Allison Young**

 **Threat Level: Low**

 **Action: Terminate**

 **...**

 **Termination Override**

Cameron reached her hand out towards Allison, "Come with me if you want to live."

* * *

John burst through the door inside Ziera basement to find Savannah, Derek, Jason, and John Henry all in the same room. Each person turned their necks to stare at him.

His eyes turning wide, he quickly turned to Savannah for help, "Who's that guy? And...what...you...you...told them about...?"

Savannah sighed in explanation, "John, they needed to know. They deserved to know the truth."

"You didn't tell them...everything did you?"

"No John, that's what you'll have to tell them personally. Oh, and John, this is Jason...Captain Cameron...he works with Weaver."

John quirked an eyebrow at the last name. He groaned, "Yeah, I think we've met before."

Jason returned his unpleasant greeting with a finger of his own.

Derek butted in, "Where's Allison?"

John replied as casually as possible, "She's a little tied up right now...Any news on Kyle?"

Savannah replied, "John Henry's still looking for him, but we have other problems."

"What other problems?"

Derek interjected with a strained his voice, "We're being surrounded, and we have no way out!"

* * *

 _Note: Flashback sequences are never in chronological order, so please don't get confused._

 _You guys didn't really think I was going to let Cameron kill off Allison did you? ; ) Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I tried to maintain Cameron's human and robotic nature in this chapter. Neither side of Cameron will supersede the other, but I'll do my best to maintain both sides of Cameron's very complicated character.  
_

 _Oh, and I thought I might share a few words from Summer Glau at a recent comic convention:_

"Jameron forever!"

[Crowd cheers to Summer's declaration]

"Yeah me too."

[Crowd responds in laughter]

\- Summer Glau, Salt Lake City, March 25, 2016


	16. Saving Kyle Reese

Chapter 16

 _Thanks for the reviews guys. While the TSCC universe is dark, it's the light at the end of the tunnel that always keeps us motivated to keep going and watch the next episode...at least that's how I viewed it and that's exactly what I'm trying to do in this story._

 _Oh, and my chapter will also explain my thoughts on the time machines._

* * *

To Allison's dismay, she couldn't walk alone. She felt too dizzy and she really couldn't think straight at all. The headache was really pounding her to a point where she couldn't take it anymore. As much as the human hated it, Cameron forced a stumbling Allison's arm around her mechanical shoulder to support some of her weight. They had to walk out of Citrus Heights together or they wouldn't get out at all.

Not that Allison wanted it, but she wondered why Cameron didn't offer to carry her. After all, it seemed to be the most efficient method for a machine that could never possibly get weak or tired. As strange as it seemed to Allison, this supposedly blank and thoughtless machine was trying to preserve her pride!

"I'm sorry," came an unexpected statement.

Allison tersely scoffed, "Sorry for what...existing?"

"For killing you."

Allison staggered when she heard those words, "What?! Your manipulating me!"

The cyborg explained, "No, before I was reprogrammed, I killed another you in another future."

"So...so...you did know..."

Cameron seemed a bit surprised upon Allison's reaction. Obviously, Allison must have known about multiple timelines. Likely, she had some pretty wild discussions with John.

"I interrogated you and the members of your company after I captured them on reconnaissance mission. Once I copied your image, you were no longer useful." The terminator explained.

"So you killed me just like that? How did you...on second thought, never mind." Allison felt it wise not to know anymore about this 'other' future.

Cameron answered anyway, "I had finally gathered all the necessary information from you to find future John. Everything you knew I knew."

"I still don't understand why a machine like you could ever care one bit about me or even John Connor? What's he to you? Who's he to Skynet?"

"He grows up to become the leader of the resistance and Skynet's greatest enemy. My first mission was to assume the identity of Allison Young, infiltrate his secret base, kill him, and put his head on a spike for all to see."

In hearing Cameron's ghastly orders, came a disturbed Allison's reply, "John? That's sick! He can barely shoot straight enough and Skynet's afraid of him?!"

"Sarah Connor never let John do many things on his own. He lived in a world of danger upon Skynet sending multiple machines back in time to kill him. John is a very capable in diverse situations and is still learning to mature into the leader he will become." She argued.

Allison flashed an exhausted sigh, "Why are you telling me this anyway?"

"So you will not lack faith in his competency."

"Then again...why do you care what I think?" Allison frowned.

"Because you will succeed him, if anything ever happens to him."

"What are you talking about?"

Cameron explained, "In a previous future, Skynet intelligence confirmed future John was hiding in a covert underground training facility alongside his most trusted advisors and elite soldiers. You were one of those soldiers. My mission was to infiltrate that base as Allison Young."

"And why's that important?" Allison felt her patience being tested.

"In 2025, John contemplated his imminent death and became concerned that he would not live long enough to see Skynet defeated. He decided to gather his best men into one camp to observe them and determine who would be most fit to lead after...if he died. To his own surprise, he did find his most suitable replacement...the new leader of the resistance."

"And?"

Cameron titled her head, "And?"

Allison tiredly explained to Cameron, "What's his name?"

Cameron answered, "Not his...her."

Allison paused and pondered what she meant by 'her'. When it clicked, her hair flew sideways as she whipped her head in Cameron's direction. She was completely taken aback.

"You're...you're saying...I..."

Cameron curtly nodded in confirmation.

The human girl stammered, "So John thought I was...did I ever become...this, um, leader?"

"...No." The cyborg answered.

"Why not?"

"I killed you."

Allison sighed, "Right...so you took over immediately?"

"No, John remained the official leader. I often led on his behalf."

"So he found out who...what you were?"

"Yes."

"So you never took over the resistance...ever?"

"No."

Allison curiously asked, "Did John and I know each other?"

"No. You were unwavering in loyalty, but you were not acquainted to John Connor. Future John avoided friendships or other emotional attachments to all his officers."

 _"Nope, definitely not the same John I know."_ Allison reflected.

"And how do you know all of this?" The human questioned.

"Some he told me, some I deduced."

Allison trailed off slightly, "Well, I am his second in command."

"This John sees it in you too, your leadership qualities."

At heart, Allison felt a little proud to know that she displayed such values and that she could be a leader. She could just feel herself swell in pride. She honestly wasn't sure if she could believe the words of the machine, but she sure as hell wanted to. It felt good enough for her to flash a brief smile. "What leadership qualities did I have that made John want me to succeed him?"

The cyborg replied, "He said everything he saw in you, reminded him of himself."

A baffled Allison responded, "This, um, older John thought that he and I were...are alike?"

"You possess many of the same qualities."

"What qualities do you think?"

"The Allison Young that I knew was both persistent and clever, like John is now."

Allison teased, "You mean we're stubborn and we always find a way to get the hell out of trouble?"

Cameron looked in the distance before answering, "Yes, most of the time."

For the first time, Allison smirked around her cyborg lookalike. In that brief moment of pride, she forgot she was talking to her 'evil' murderous metal twin.

"How were you reprogrammed?"

"John Connor captured me and altered my programming code."

"So you remember all of that?"

"No."

"What do you mean?"

"My memory was wiped as part of John's reprogramming process."

"He's programmed other machines before...in the other future I mean?"

"Yes."

Allison nervously contradicted her, "So how do you remember killing me if your memory was wiped?"

"An accident. Deleted files can always be recovered. John Henry recovered most of my memories through a resulting glitch."

"Glitches? ...does John know about this?"

Her monotonous voice responded, "Some."

Allison seemed concerned over Cameron omitting this kind of information from John. It seemed like more of the metal's manipulation. They walked silently for several more minutes before Cameron decided to ask a question of her own, "How is it possible?"

"What are you doing?" Allison warned.

"I am asking a question."

"No, you're asking me a question without giving me any knowledge of context. I bet this is your scheming way of forcing me to answer out of curiosity."

Cameron did not respond, but she pouted ever so slightly, nearly invisible to Allison's naked eye. Cameron did not expect Allison to perceive such minor exploitation in her speech. This Allison was even more brilliant than the Allison Young she killed. Cameron couldn't forget that Allison Young nearly outsmarted her in the other future.

Allison's observational skills truly were an excellent gift. No one else could better determine other people's thoughts and plans through the finest details of their behavior.

The duo continued to trudge through the dirt and sand in what felt like an another long and awkward silence. Allison felt curious as to what possible question Cameron would have that she'd be willing to ask her murder victim. She wondered what was going through the mind of CPU of a machine that seemed to know the answers to everything.

 _I wonder what she's thinking? What's her question? I have to know what she's thinking! Screw this!_

She couldn't take it anymore, she finally gave in, "Okay! You win! How's what possible?"

Cameron flashed a ghost of a smile having beaten Allison. The machine knew that no matter what, she was the ultimate master of manipulation. She immediately snapped back into her emotionless mask before replying, "The time machine should have destroyed itself when I left thus preventing anyone else from traveling through."

Cameron replayed information from John's vitals on her HUD and determined that John had to be telling the truth about Weaver and his time traveling.

Allison replied, "Listen, I don't even know about that stuff, but that big freaky computer machine thing is still down there in the basement of the old Ziera corporation. Savannah told me that this time displacement thing...still works."

 _"Savannah Weaver?"_ Cameron's CPU analyzed the probability of the little red-head still being alive today.

While processing this information, Cameron further explained her problem to an ignorant Allison, "Miniature time machines have not been designed to maintain a stable bioelectric field. It should have destroyed itself after use. Only the captured TDE complex engineered by Skynet was reusable."

Allison vied for more information, "So that's how you went through?"

The cyborg answered, "I as well as others."

Allison didn't ask questions any further.

Allison felt the need to keep her head on straight. Like Cameron, she had a lot to process too. Meanwhile, Cameron's CPU reasoned that Weaver and her technicians must have created a tiny time machine that didn't destroy itself during operation. This should have appropriately explained the mystery of John's youth. Cameron realized he should have trusted John in the first place, rather than doubting him.

Before Cameron had the chance to process anything else, she reflexively jerked Allison behind an old abandoned rusted truck.

"Hey watch it!" She screamed.

The cyborg covered Allison's mouth, motioning to her that she should remain quiet. At last, Allison heard it. She heard a couple of men talking out loudly a short distance away.

Allison suspected what Cameron might be up to. She whispered to the machine, "We don't need mess with whoever they are. Let's just get out of here!"

Cameron stood still and silently, using thermo-imaging software and audio sensors to determine the location of each possible threat.

Her HUD displayed:

 **15 unknown humans**

That's when Allison heard it.

An armed soldier with a gruff voice and a scar on his left cheek gruffly bellowed to his squadron, "Listen, our scouts last spotted the bitch with some other punk somewhere around here! Perry wants the teenage girl alive remember!"

One of the random soldiers responded, "What's so important about this Young girl anyway? She can't help us liberate Lieutenant Reese's base."

The older man smirked, "Leverage you idiot! And if you tell Perry I said that, you're just as dead as she is!"

When she heard those alarming words, it pushed Allison's heart into overdrive.

 _"Leverage! How...?!"_ Allison screamed in her mind.

Cameron, who was still crouching down next to Allison, processed a few possible scenarios. Finally, she whispered to Allison, "John Henry knows your coordinates, he will send someone to rescue you. I need to go."

"Wait? Why? Where are you going?!"

Cameron said nothing, but handed Allison's plasma rifle back. Just seconds after Allison confusedly accepted the rifle, the cyborg got out from behind the truck and quickly, screamed and waved blissfully towards the threatening soldiers.

"Looking for me douches?!" The terminator exclaimed.

* * *

"What do you mean we're surrounded?!" John asked.

John Henry explained, "A large army of roughly five thousand men from the southern territory are moving quickly towards Lieutenant Colonel Derek Reese's base. This is a likely threat."

"I prefer commander over colonel." Derek uselessly corrected.

Jason smirked, "A brief stint in the navy doesn't make you commander, Lt. Colonel."

Savannah interrupted, "Guys! Focus here."

Savannah flashed the two men a motherly "Grow up" stare.

John asked, "That's Mexico isn't it? So how does that make us surrounded?"

John Henry replied, "Further north, Skynet is closing in on Depot 37, where we manufacture more of our kind."

"Depot 37? That's...nowhere close to where I was...Citrus Heights. Skynet's only in our vicinity?"

"Correct."

John flashed a sigh of relief, but didn't realize Savannah caught on to his odd reaction.

John asked, "Well, if we were to fight them, who would win John Henry?"

"If we use our Hunterkiller drone, they will suffer enormous losses and likely surrender from demoralization. However, I am unaware of whether Los Angeles Air Force will intercept. We have not ruled out a join attack from other resistance bases."

"On second thought, I think we need to negotiate." John wisely concluded.

Savannah added, "But we must do so from a position of strength John."

John turned to Derek and Jason, "Lieutenant? Captain?"

John was unsure what Jason and Derek's plan was. Even though John was technically in charge thanks to the help of Weaver, Jason and Derek were their own men and were certainly capable of stirring up more trouble for John than Skynet ever could.

Derek spoke, "Connor, you're an ass who's crapped up our lives more than anyone else on this freaking planet...but Perry has totally lost it. If Perry wins, I won't get my hands on that piece of shit."

The HCR captain nodded in agreement, "What do we need to do?"

Savannah disputed their ideas, "While I'm glad you're "opening" up to John's side of things, Allison and I have already agreed with John that we should turn the General over to our side. It's for the best."

Jason laughed, "Ha! A metal hater like Perry? You're about as blond as they get!"

Savannah flared at Jason's stereotypical insult.

John tried to interrupt before a flaming Savannah did something she'd regret, "Listen! Perry has more credibility than you two because you're already listed as traitors for siding with me...and as far as I'm concerned, you, Captain, are considered more of a traitor when you went AWOL. If we can convince Perry to join our cause, we can save your asses and prevent any other resistance camps from attacking us."

"Good luck with that because you're out of your mind kid." Derek snorted.

John smugly came up with the perfect idea, "Okay, I'll make a deal with the two of you. If we convince Perry to join our cause, you must accept him in open arms, if he doesn't, I'll let you do whatever you want to do to him."

This was a risky deal for John's conscience, because it threatened Perry's life, but as far as John was concerned, it was the only way to get Derek and Jason to agree.

Derek and Jason smirked, "Deal."

Savannah asked, "But what about Kyle? Did you guys forget about him already?!"

Derek explained, "Perry's trying to leverage me since I wouldn't give him Allison. He won't hurt Kyle 'cause that's not his style. He's a traditionalist, who believes in justice the old fashion American way, as if America still exists today. Let's just say that when we find Perry, we find Kyle."

"That's a relief! Someone should've told me sooner!" Savannah heaved a sigh.

Jason asked, "So how do we get to General asshat?"

* * *

"Hey! It's the girl! Get her you fools!"

Cameron, mimicking Allison's posture and speech, mockingly replied, "The one and only."

The first man to reach Cameron roughly thrust her towards the ground. The uniformed soldiers dressed in regular military camouflage fumbled with the pieces of rope in order to tie her hands up.

The man in charge walked up towards Allison all puffy chested and exclaimed, "Not so tough and cocky now are you ya' little bitch?"

Cameron smiled uncaringly into the eyes of the superior officer and replied, "We'll see whose cocky when I'm finished with you."

The man smirked. Immediately, a soldier behind her jerked her upwards and partially dragged a tied up Cameron and threw her into the back of a military truck. Cameron hardly weighed much more than Allison, fooling the men into believing she was human. The men loaded into their vehicles and stormed off with the strangely submissive killing machine. As soon as Allison knew for sure they were gone, she got up from behind the truck. She was in a partial daze, shocked at what just happened. She could still the see dust that got kicked up from the trail the military trucks left behind. Allison didn't understand it. The cyborg saved her from Perry! But why?

It was getting late, Allison was still hurt. She couldn't make it back in time, especially with her nasty head injury.

 _I've probably lost a million IQ points already when that idiot raider hit my head...I think I need a metal skull..._

Before she really had a chance to think about it, she screamed at the feeling of something grasping her shoulder. She swiveled around to find a cyborg resistance officer coldly staring at her.

"Come with me," said the man in the dark uniform.

Allison quivered at his deep monotonous voice.

* * *

Several hours after the meeting in Ziera basement, John, who was still in his bunker kept pacing back and forth, sweat engulfing his entire body. He was nervous and he felt himself get more and more erratic. Savannah found the perfect time to come in, "John, where's Allison and where the hell's Cameron?! Did you find her body there?"

"I don't know." He plainly answered.

Savannah grew a bit irritated, "John, I know there's something you're holding back from me. Why are you lying to me?"

John wildly defended himself, "No, I'm not lying! I couldn't tell Derek, but Allison ran off somewhere after I uh, after I brought back Cameron."

Savannah appeared shocked, "You...you brought her back...?!"

"...Yeah, so Cameron's looking for her."

"Wait. Where was Cameron?"

"She was in an underground storage cellar or something like that. Allison ran out, so Cameron agreed to go look for her while I came back to help you find my dad."

"Are you sure that was a good idea John?"

"What, you mean coming here?" He queried.

Savannah shook her head, "No."

"Oh, you mean Cameron...What, you don't think Cameron can find her? I'm sure she will soon."

Savannah sensitively explained, "John, as much as I like Cameron, she's still a machine. What if she has a termination order for Allison?"

"Why would you think that?! She's been reprogrammed remember?"

"The only reason that Cameron would look like Allison is if Skynet wanted to replace her at one point. You don't expect terminators to allow their human duplicates to hang around do you? Just because you programmed Cameron to protect you doesn't mean she won't kill Allison."

"I've never...I've never...thought..! I was just so happy that she was back that I..."

John collapsed to the floor, fearing that he may have just condemned Allison to death. John hoped that Cameron wouldn't do it, that maybe she could override a termination order...or maybe at least hesitate like she'd done before. John remembered that Cameron tried to kill him, what reason did he have to believe it would be different for Allison?

John tried to tell himself, " _John, have faith in yourself, have faith in Cameron_."

The future leader knew he'd have to go back and make sure Cameron didn't find her...if she hadn't already.

"We have to do something!" John answered.

Savannah pulled out her radio and handed it John. He prepped himself for a confession to John Henry. He held down the button and spoke rapidly, "John Henry, there's something I have to tell you, Allison's missing and I..."

John choked up a bit in his panic.

John Henry replied, "I don't understand Mr. Connor, what do you mean?"

John aggravatingly retorted, "Exactly what I said, she's missing! I can't find her."

John Henry casually replied, "Intelligence officer Allison Young is located in the infirmary."

"Who? What?! Where? Which base?"

"This one, in room 108."

When John heard those numbers he dropped the radio and ran faster than he thought possible. He brushed past a nurse and nearly knocked over another soldier in the process.

"Hey!" The angry soldier grunted.

John ignored him and kept running. As soon as he found the right number, he dashed through to see an injured Allison sleeping off some heavy medication. He saw her dressed in old white gown, lying in a rusty cot with equipment monitoring her vitals. Upon a closer look, he noticed the IV tubes which were connected to her body. Seeing that she was alive, he relaxed, but only a little bit. He still had to find Cameron. Where was she? When he turned to the right to see Derek and Jason looking fiercely at him, John felt a shockingly serious sense of guilt.

Derek, who was standing further in front, marched towards John and threw him against an open wall. He grabbed an unarmed John by his collar, nearly strangling him from the pressure and tightness of his grasp.

"This is your fault! You did this!" His uncle growled.

"It must have been an accident, terminators don't do that." John desperately defended himself.

"What's this got to do with...wait? You know more than you're letting on!"

John anxiously shook his head.

Derek wasn't convinced, "It's so nice to know you don't let those freaking machines inside the hospital."

The older man gritted his teeth. He was ready to do something very painful. At first he trusted John with Allison's life, only for her to be alone and stranded in the middle of nowhere for no reason whatsoever. If it wasn't for that random soldier on patrol, Derek had no idea what he would have done if Allison was never found. However, what he did know was what terrible things he had in store for John Connor. He just about had it with John, and now, the little twit was going to pay.

Derek thought, " _He was going to have her killed!"_

Jason interrupted with series of statements, "You shouldn't do this. It's risky. We can work this out differently. We have other things to do."

Derek dropped the teenager towards the ground and answered, "No, not until I'm done with this piece of crap! "

John fell with a loud thump. John gasped for breath, blinking rapidly in a poor attempt to retain clearer vision. Unfortunately for John, Derek was right. There really were no terminators inside the hospital for the purpose of not freaking out the patients. Because of that, John Henry could not monitor the hospital. With Cameron still missing and Allison still sleeping, no one could help him at all!

 _I'm so dead...!_

Suddenly, a delirious Allison squirmed slightly and frowned in her sleep. Jason caught the movement on the side of his eye. He interrupted, "Ally's waking up."

Jason turned to Derek, "Derek, let me deal with him. You stay with her."

Derek apologized, "Listen, I'm sorry about this you don't have to..."

Jason waved him off, "No, it's okay. Besides, she needs you to be with her, not me. I'll get to the bottom of this, let me take care of him."

Jason grabbed John firmly by the shoulder forcing him off the ground, "I'll see you later."

Derek warned, "Be careful, your boss can't know about this."

Jason replied, "Don't worry she won't know about it, we're just going to talk."

Jason pulled John out of Allison's hospital space, into another private room. John murmured in his feverish agony, "Weaver's...Weaver's...she's going to kill you when she finds out...what...what the hell are you going to do to me?"

"Nothing," came a very feminine voice.

John jumped to see that Weaver was the one holding on to him.

"Weaver?! How did you? Were you him all along?"

She nonchalantly replied, "No, Captain Cameron is still alive, he'll be back shortly."

"What about Allison? Why does she have a head injury? What did you do to her?"

"I saved her life." She conceitedly fought back.

Upon hearing that, John looked left and right to check his surroundings before submissively whispering, "What are you doing here?"

"You mean besides saving you again?" Weaver insulted.

John felt what was left of his pride getting blown to pieces by the addition of those words. Despite having little value or respect for human life, Weaver had gone through a great deal of trouble to protect John from impending death on countless occasions. Despite all this, John still struggled to accept her as an ally. Those dark memories he had with the T-1000 liquid metal never left him.

"Is that it? You just come here to gloat?" John knew that wasn't true, but he said it anyway.

"No, your friend Ms. Young has confirmed that your cyborg has been kidnapped."

"NO! What? How's that possible? Where's she?! Did you set this up?"

John had lost Cameron, he wasn't about to lose her again. If it wasn't for Weaver's grasp, he would have raced around like he was mad. He wasn't making anymore logical sense in his head.

John continued his rant, "I can't leave her! I need to find her! Is it Perry?! Is it Perry?"

Weaver indifferently replied, "Yes."

"Do we have his location. Do you know where Cameron is?!" John raised his voice before realizing he should keep quiet.

Weaver ignored his fanatical behavior, "That is what we'll find out Mr. Connor."

* * *

It was the same dark room that Perry took Kyle and Derek. When Cameron was seated, they pulled the blindfold off Cameron. Cameron didn't even bother flinch. Cameron wanted to convey the notion that she wasn't afraid, just like the real Allison would have done. Little did her kidnappers know, Cameron could essentially "see" just fine with the blindfold on anyway. She looked around to notice that there was a dark dormant figure sitting in a chair on the other side of the room. She examined her surroundings, trying to configure a possible escape route, but the only way out of the square room was a reinforced metal door. Cameron calculated punching through the concrete walls as the fastest possible means of escape. She found it to be a better option than silently killing everyone in the room and mimicking a soldier's commanding voice to manipulate the rest of her captors to open the big metal door. She turned her eyes towards the figure standing slightly to her left. She adjusted her HUD to night vision to identify her interrogator/captor.

 **Subject Identified:** Justin H. Perry

 **Unit** : Techcom

 **Division** : 132nd Division

 **Rank:** Major General

Cameron knew this information was probably outdated, considering that this information came from another future. In fact, she had remembered the General Perry being one of Connor's most devoted allies and a surprisingly staunch supporter of reprogramming machines for the resistance. However, it didn't matter anyway. She couldn't use any of this to get out of her current situation.

She promised John she'd save Allison, and the only way to do it was to lead them away from the real Allison. She knew that her actions would not guarantee Allison's survival, but it sure was her best shot at it.

[Flashback Sequence]

 _Cameron had finished loading her weapon inside the truck and shut the door. A male figure stood behind her._

 _"Cameron?" John Connor asked._

 _Cameron turned around to face John, "Yes John?"_

 _"When we get to the prison to save mom...remember, no killing...okay?"_

 _"Okay."_

 _John wasn't satisfied, "Promise?"_

 _Cameron looked up into John's eyes before answering, "I promise."_

[End of Flashback]

The terminator also remembered how she promised John that he would not endanger herself or anyone else. However, she knew that in order to protect herself, she might have to take away another human's life. If she could fear, she feared she'd have to kill again. Cameron knew John wouldn't like that, yet even worse, she knew that there would be no repercussions from John if she did kill anyway.

John was still morally strong, but he was willing to compromise in order to protect everyone close to him, including his mother, Derek, and above all, herself! A terminator of all people! Cameron didn't understand why John was so attached to her. She thought that when she purposely hurt John's feelings after she went bad, he'd keep his distance from her, but even when John was with Riley, she knew that John cared more for her. She tried again to remind John that she was just a machine before they went to rescue his mother from prison. She let John feel her nuclear power cell to remind her that he was attracted to a machine...a metal machine. One could say it was her own twisted version of robotic foreplay, but it proved her point that she was just metal, that she wasn't worth being desired. She wanted to emphasize her expendability as a simple weapon and that one day she might go bad again and kill him. But it didn't work. John knew all along she was a machine, and no matter what Cameron did or where she went, he would be willing to travel across timelines in hopes of bringing her back. Cameron knew she changed John forever. He would not grow up to be the same person she first met. He would never view machines the same way future John ever did. Cameron once concerned herself in killing John one day, but she soon realized, that John was already dead. His person as a whole, she killed the moment she walked into his life.

Cameron dismissed such thoughts for now and tried to scan the unknown figure sitting in the chair. Unfortunately, with his or her head turned, she couldn't determine the identity of the human being. She couldn't even calculate height based on how slumped the figure was. When a bright light shined on her face, she instinctively squinted and blinked rapidly. She didn't have to, but it was the human thing to do. A voice evilly uttered, "Ally, Ally, Ally, it's been a while hasn't it? I simply can't believe how long and hard it took to finally get you here. Your big boy brothers wouldn't turn you in. I truly admire them for their unwavering love and devotion towards you. It's loyalty like that you don't see everyday."

Cameron had no idea what Perry was getting at or what he wanted with Allison Young. She also had to play it smart if she wanted to figure out what it was that Allison did that got the General so bent up on capturing her.

"What do you want with me?"

The dark figure answered in a low voice, "The question of the century isn't it?"

"What do you want with me?" Cameron repeated.

"You know what I want."

Cameron replied as humanly as possible, "Okay..." Cameron smiled, "You had your fun, now let me go, John's been worried about..."

Perry scornfully interrupted, "...John eh? So you really are as cozy as they say you are with him...this little kid named John Connor."

Cameron contemptuously shot back, "So what? Jealous?"

Perry shook his head profusely, "No...No...not at all. Perhaps a bit disappointed."

Cameron curiously questioned, "Why?"

"You're a traitor Ms. Young. You and I both know it. Don't bother defend yourself."

Cameron defended, "I'm not. Why do you think I'm a traitor?"

Perry wouldn't bite, "Now, now, enough questions. You've forgotten that you're the one being interrogated. Now, here's what I need from you. You're going to help me to get to John Connor." He darkly demanded.

"You want to hurt him?! Then no, I won't!" She confidently defied.

Cameron heard the dragging of the wooden legs against the concrete floor beneath her as a random soldier dragged the heavy unconscious figure from the dark corner straight in frontal HUD display. Perry redirected the light shining in Cameron's face on the lifeless figure.

"If you don't, then you will never see him again." Perry threatened.

Cameron's eyes widened upon her analysis, "Kyle?" Cameron determined he was alive, but his eyes were closed and his head hung back against the chair. His breathing was slow, evidently because Perry must have drugged him. Thankfully, he didn't appear to have any physical injuries.

 **Subject Identified: Kyle Reese**

 **Division: 132nd Division**

 **Unit: Techcom [DN38416]**

 **Rank: Sergeant**

With Perry's stress and nervousness, Cameron could not determine whether Perry's threat to take Kyle from her was a lie or a truth. Disappointingly, her HUD flashed a sign that told her that she could not accurately read Perry's vitals. Cameron ran out of options of getting out of this predicament. She was prepared to break free from the ropes to protect herself and more importantly John's father from any kind of danger. While self preservation wasn't on Cameron's number one list, it was on John's, so she knew she had to do it. Cameron knew the moment she broke free, the men behind her would open fire. She knew she'd have no choice but to kill, but she was ready to do so if it was necessary.

 _John will understand._

Cameron clenched her fists, and slowly resisted against the ropes, hearing every tight strand snap through her heightened auditory sensors. She powerfully pulled her wrists apart, knowing the rope would give in with a matter of seconds. Cameron turned her emotional face into a blank face, much to Perry's confusion. The ropes continued to stretch, catching Perry's instant attention.

"What's that noise? What's going on behind there?"

Cameron ripped apart the rope and clenched her fists together. She got up off her chair in front of a shocked general. He stood back and drew his weapon.

Straight away, chaos ensued.

* * *

 _Note: If you remember the last episode of TSCC, you will recall that Cameron avoided killing the wardens. This was important for Cameron, because she used to consider any possible threat worthy of termination. She didn't understand murder and she didn't understand empathy, but in the end she seems to show some restraint and perhaps learns to care about people a bit more. Namely Sarah and even Riley and Derek! You can remember Cameron's reluctance to kill Riley despite being a security risk towards John_

 _Also note that Allison and Cameron aren't out of the woods yet...Allison still vehemently hates Cameron and their future relationship will be lots of fun to write. Jameron is definitely a factor, but since John and Cameron are separated right now, I'm going to have to bring them back together before I can develop their blossoming relationship.  
_

 _Update (April 13) : Hey guys, there seems to be some kind of problem preventing some of the reviews for chapter 16 from being posted. I always receive the reviews by Email too so I can still get back to you even though I can't see anything in the reviews section right now. Thanks for reading and feel encouraged to let me know what you think._ : )


	17. Flatlined

_Note: I knew I had to post soon because it has been several days since my last update. I removed 2000 words from this chapter, but I will save that material for later because I haven't quite finalized it yet._

* * *

Cameron stood still, with Perry's glock aimed squarely on her metal forehead. The General could only imagine what was going on underneath the living tissue of the killer cyborg. It sustained a cold stare and a mechanical posture. Perry figured it had to have been a trap, set up by John Connor himself. God only knew what this John Connor did to the real Allison Young!

Perry felt fear devour him voraciously. He froze into an icy stance and, but his hands twitched and vibrated uncontrollably. He just couldn't believe what he was seeing. The guarding soldiers standing behind Cameron were just about to pull the trigger when firing and explosions shook the building throwing off their aim. Cameron analyzed the sound to determine that several men were approaching her direction quickly.

 **Audio Analysis:**

 **1 Hunterkiller**

 **25 Humans**

 **18 M14 Assault Rifles [Armor Piercing Rounds]**

 **7 M265 Plasma Rifles**

In a matter of seconds, gunfire ripped throughout the top secret compound. Upon the chaos, Perry felt the adrenaline course through his veins. Not only was he in a stand off with a metal machine, but he had to endure the agonizing screams of his own men as they got mowed down in gunfire. Since he was locked in his own interrogation room, he couldn't help whatever was going on outside.

Perry grimaced, "Shit! Shit!"

He stood back, trying in vain to figure out another way out. In his wavering manner, he swerved left and right, just in a close enough range for Cameron to forcefully grab his gun and sweep behind him.

"Argh!"

Before the tensed up soldiers could do a single thing, Cameron was already behind the General with the gun trained on Perry's head. Perry shouted, "Hold your fire you idiots! This thing isn't Young, it's a machine!"

The statement shook the men to the very cores of their souls. Immediately, the metal door that securely held the four occupants in the interrogation room started to vibrate. It sounded like metal viciously hitting metal.

Bong!

Bong!

Bong!

Then the metal thump came again...and again. Everyone stared in complete awe. In a matter of a few seconds, there were several metal lumps all across the steel entry. Finally, it shook violently. One last pound was all it took for the damaged door to fly back inside the room knocking out one of Perry's two soldiers. A dark figure hiding behind a thick cloud of white smoke emerged from the door. The remaining soldier fired wildly into the white smoke. Sparks flew off its body in addition to million metallic plinks and sparks that came off the unknown creature. The shadowy figure grabbed the threatening soldier by his throat, choking him into unconsciousness. It dropped the defenseless human and rotated its head towards Cameron. Perry saw its lifeless face and he knew what it was. It was a T-600! With its dead eyes, its rubbery latex face, and its limited mechanical movements, Perry was all too familiar with the first generation humanoid killer.

Cameron analyzed the cyborg:

 **Subject Identified: T-600**

 **Threat Level: Low**

 **Action: None**

Upon seeing Cameron activated and in a non-threatening environment, the reprogrammed T-600 resumed standby position. A terrified Perry looked wildly into the red eyes of the terrible machine. Finally the smoke started to clear and another figure emerged from the smoke and stood right next to the stationary terminator.

It was John Connor. Cameron's "knight in shining armor" had come to rescue her...even though ironically Cameron was the one with the metal armor.

Cameron released hold of Perry, "John?"

"Cameron?!"

Perry was still too astonished to even blink. He thought _"how on earth did they find me?"_

* * *

Savannah sat down next to John Henry in Ziera's basement, "Was it a success John Henry?"

"Yes, the cyborg resistance has acquired Cameron Phillips and General Justin Perry. Mr. Connor will be pleased that I gave him the correct information."

"How did Weaver say you were able to locate Perry?"

"Ms. Phillips transmitted a coded message that only I could decipher. Once I analyzed the information, I translated it instantly."

"That's excellent! It's good that you and Cameron taught each other those things. It definitely came in handy. We should celebrate!"

"Can we play a game? Perhaps chess?" The AI excitedly replied.

Savannah grinned, "How about something a bit simpler...checkers maybe?"

* * *

John tried to restrain his emotions when he called for her, "Ca...Cameron. Could you come here please?"

Cameron, still holding onto Perry's weapon, left the General and approached John until he was just a few inches away from her. John gazed meaningfully into Cameron's eyes. John suddenly felt the need to do something. He knew how bad this might look in front of certain people, but he was going to do it anyway. He swiftly wrapped his hands around the little cyborg, holding her like she kept the world spinning. John closed his eyes and breathed in Cameron's scent. She smelled like dirt and pollution, but to John she smelled great. When John rested his head on her shoulder, he could sense the heat radiating off of her body. He remembered how cold she felt when John had touched her endoskeleton, but how warm she was on the outside.

Meanwhile, Cameron's processes slowed down. She did not expect this behavior from John to come so quickly, but decided to follow the traditional human custom of returning the hug since he would probably like that. Cameron knew that John changed a lot since he came to the year 2027. She knew that for sure because John had never hugged her before in his life. But it wasn't just John's behavior towards her, but his personality as whole was evolving. He was learning to keep a level head. He was learning to quit complaining. Most of all, he was learning to be a leader he was destined to become. Whether John wanted to be a leader was a different question, but there was no doubt in Cameron's mind that John getting there.

Finally, John released his tight grip. He kept his hands on Cameron's side when another tall man walked through the broken-in entrance. It was an HCR soldier. Perry's eyes widened when the man pulled off his mask to show his face.

Jason Cameron turned his head to see John holding Allison Young. Jason gasped, and then turned his look of surprise into a look of joy. He called out, "Ally?"

Cameron turned her head over to Jason. Cameron's eyes widened and her body tensed quickly. Jason mistook her reaction to mean she was shocked too.

Jason replied, "It's me! Uncle Jay? Remember me?"

Cameron briefly answered, "I remember."

A delighted Jason approached Cameron to give her an awkward hug. John stepped back confusedly rubbing the back of his head.

Jason announced, "Derek never told me he kept you around. You were like 16 last time I saw you! Wow, look at you!"

While Jason admired "Allison's" grown up appearance, Perry cleared his throat to attract Jason's attention. Jason turned his head to stare at the man.

The Captain devilishly smiled, "So nice to see you again...General."

The defeated General replied sarcastically, "Likewise."

The man smirked, "Surprised to see me?"

Perry paused before answering, "No, just sad that Skynet scum like you is still alive."

The soldier retorted, "Says the one who threatens his own kind."

Derek dashed in through the entrance of the small interrogation room and screamed, "Kyle? Kyle?! Is that you?"

John had forgotten about his father completely. He didn't even notice he was in the same room as he was. John had only thought about Cameron the entire time. Was he wrong and selfish for prioritizing a repairable machine over his father? John didn't know, but right now he didn't have time to think about that.

Derek paid no attention to anyone else as he dashed through to see an inert Kyle still lying back in his chair. Derek rushed towards him and crouched down next to Kyle, pulled out his knife, cut the rope, and gently slapped Kyle's face a few times to wake him up.

Kyle moaned, "Five more minutes..."

"Kyle! It's me Derek! Snap out of it."

Kyle opened his eyes a bit wider to notice a concerned Derek scanning his face. He acknowledged his rescuer, "Derek."

Derek immediately pulled him out of the chair, "Can you walk?"

Kyle shrugged. He found he was a bit lightheaded but he could still walk out as long as Derek pulled him. The two brothers exited quickly without saying another word. Much to John's relief, Derek did not notice the fact that there was an alive and well Allison Young in the room. In total relief, John knew he would not have reacted well to seeing her terminator duplicate for the first time. Just as Derek and Kyle hobbled out, the HCR division poured into the room aiming their weapons at Perry.

The leading soldier in front shouted to Jason, "Sir! The building is clear."

John shouted, "Stand down!"

The soldiers didn't respond to his order.

John turned to Jason, "Tell your men to stand down."

"I don't take orders from you!" He angrily shot back.

John warned, "Fine, I'll just go ask Weaver then..."

Jason reluctantly gave the order and the men brought their weapons back to their sides. John looked around him to notice that Perry's guards were alive but injured. John looked back up to Jason to see that he was still too preoccupied in his smug stare down with Perry

"Get Perry's men and the rest of the injured back to a hospital quickly. We can take care of the General. Oh, and get that machine out of here...it's freaking him out."

Perry realized that John wasn't referring to Cameron, but the T-600. Jason frowned deeply at John. He turned back to Allison with a smile, "I'll see you around Ally."

Cameron monotonously replied, "Okay."

After Jason and his men left, Perry remained with John and Cameron. The General was still sickened at how John was humanly treating the Allison lookalike. Yet even worse, none of his men seemed to know that she was a machine! Perry couldn't imagine what John could have been using this 'Allison' robot for. He felt that humanity was too far gone now from any sense of decency since they let a pervert named John Connor seize power from within the resistance.

John ignored Perry's ugly gawking. Being in such close proximity, John returned his attention to Cameron. He was standing so close to her, he could feel Cameron's needless breathing rushing down on his neck. John recalled memories of how Cameron would sigh sometimes when she supposedly disliked something.

Cameron analyzed John's face and reached for his neck to determine his vitals. Fortunately, John didn't resist her warm touch. He tried to keep a straight face, but he was just too happy that he got Cameron back where she belonged.

John, in a content and over-relaxed state, murmured, "I missed you."

Cameron wasn't sure how to respond. She considered saying that she missed John too, but wasn't sure whether John would believe it. Cameron herself wasn't sure if she missed John. If she could feel or become attached, it wouldn't be the same way that ordinary humans could. She decided to switch the topic of conversation to a slightly safer subject.

"Is Allison Young safe?"

"Um..yeah, she's in the hospital. You saved her Cameron. Her head is a bit bruised, but I think she'll be fine."

Cameron frowned ever so slightly and removed her hands from John's neck, "John, your vitals appear normal, but I observe signs of stress."

John explained, "I was a bit worried about you when you were kidnapped, that's all. I'm good now. John Henry helped me find you...just please don't do anything like that ever again Cameron."

Cameron didn't say anything. John shook himself out of his own trance, and grabbed Cameron's hand to squeeze it tightly, "We have things to talk about. We can't avoid it forever."

Cameron firmly nodded.

John replied, "But not here," he pulled out a set of handcuffs from his side, "Would you do the honors."

John and Cameron turned their heads to stare at the motionless General.

* * *

John raced through the prison's corridor, pulling alongside him a prisoner with a bag placed over his head. He found an empty cell and forced the criminal into it. John anxiously looked both ways before entering the cell too. John pulled off the bag to reveal a female was underneath.

"It's all clear, no one saw us. You should be safe here for now." John exhaled heavily.

Cameron replied, "John, I could see just fine. You didn't need to pull me."

John logically countered, "Don't you think it would get a lot of unnecessary attention for people to see you if you casually walked around with a bag over your head? To avoid attention, I should be holding and guiding you."

Cameron replied, "Oh."

Secretly, that wasn't the real reason. Subconsciously, John just wanted to hold Cameron's hand. As John tried to catch his breath, he scanned Cameron's face and he quickly noticed how messy her hair was. He proceeded to brush the stray hair away from Cameron's face.

Without knowing it, he impassively gazed into Cameron's eyes. He just couldn't help himself. Cameron had wondered what it was that made John just stare at her randomly, but she could not reach a diagnosis based on the information available.

"Your eyes." John's trance-like whisper broke the silence.

"My eyes?" Cameron asked. She wondered if her eyes had some kind of hypnotic or hallucinogenic effect on him.

John clarified, "Oh um, well, the living tissue covering your optical sensors are completely restored. Savannah, oh yeah she's still alive by the way...she told me that a Ziera corp. engineer named "uncle Matt" repaired you."

Cameron did not know what other response to make besides, "Oh."

"Mom had you all locked up in that cellar for nearly two decades. I was just wondering...your skin...it did not decompose. Why?"

Cameron replied, "My living tissue can be preserved as long as my nuclear power cell remains intact and fully operational."

That wasn't really a question that John was interested in asking her. There were far more important things he needed to say to her, but he just needed to work up the courage to ask. There were issues that he'd have work out with Cameron. He knew he could forgive Cameron for her many faults. In fact, after nearly losing Cameron three times, he truly wanted to make it right with her. The guilt and the unease was more than John could bare.

"Listen, Cameron. There are some things I need to tell you...I..." John choked.

Cameron inquisitively tilted her head.

 _Come on! Man up! Tell her!_

John cleared his throat, "I'm sorry for what I told you."

"Told me?"

John anxiously wiped the sweat off his brow, "Cameron, please...I'm sorry for what I said. I'm sorry for calling you just a machine. I'm sorry for making you do my laundry. I'm sorry for taking you for granted...I just never thought...that I'd..."

John recognized that Cameron protected him in more ways than he could count, but more often than not, he dismissed Cameron as if she was the unneeded member of the family. The entire time John was upset with Cameron, he had simply tried to prove to her and himself, that he could be independent of her...that he didn't need her. He was just all too willing to push her away because Cameron didn't trust him, but he only realized what a terrible thing he had done until she was gone.

Cameron realized that John didn't buy the "just a machine" excuse as a cover for negatively reacting to Weaver's "will you join us" message. John's apology meant that he believed there was more to Cameron than either one of them cared to admit.

John's eyes turned misty and his breathing changed erratically, "But nevertheless, you lied to me Cameron. I know you were doing what you thought was best for me and for the future, but you lied to me over and over...and over again. Sometimes I wonder... that maybe you feel bad about it...lying to me. Even when you left, you were lying when you chose not to tell me about John Henry. I saw that message over and over on the computer screens of Ziera corp. It's burned into my mind Cameron."

An emotional John paused for a second to study Cameron's face before he finished, "Were...were you really sorry? Or was that just another cheap lie to cheer me up...just to make me feel like you actually cared?"

Cameron couldn't come up with an immediate response to John's heartbreaking questions. She had to figure out a way to convince John of her credibility, something she didn't have a lot of.

Cameron thought long and hard. Since her CPU was much different from a human's brain, she often answered John's questions using the maximum capacity of her "brain" to assort an appropriate response. One minute of Cameron's thinking was like ten hours for a normal human.

Finally, Cameron answered, "You lacked faith in me when I told you I never killed Riley Dawson...and you were wrong. Have faith in me now. I'm sorry I hurt you John."

John was surprised to hear a terminator talk about "faith". He knew his mom would have laughed at the thought of Cameron talking about faith.

John stayed silent for a moment after Cameron made her response. He just wanted to tear up, but he held back as best as he could. He wanted to believe Cameron...he really needed to believe Cameron.

"Do you promise you'll never lie to me like that ever again?"

Cameron paused again before putting it bluntly, "No."

John irritably blurted, "Why?!"

John reminded himself that he was talking to a machine. He knew better than to expect her to make her decisions based on empathy or compassion. John often forgot she wasn't a real person.

Cameron explained, "I cannot always ensure your safety. If the mission requires it, I will lie to you."

He immediately flashbacked to Cameron's speech to him after she went bad. John had gone so far to save Cameron and the terminator's only sign of gratitude was those stinging words "you can no longer be trusted" or "that was a stupid thing to do". It hurt him so badly that he never could bring himself to forgive her.

But that was just the beginning of it all. He still had a whole lot more to ask Cameron and a whole lot to explain to her. Some of it was emotional stuff and some of it was probably going to turn into an argument, but he had to get it all off his chest. He opened his mouth to speak when his radio sounded. He heard the broadcast in John Henry's voice, "Mr. Connor, there seems to be a problem."

"I'm kind of busy right now..." An irritated John replied.

John Henry ignored him, "...Lt. Derek Reese is shouting out towards the humans and our units in a request for help. There seems to be a problem regarding Allison Young."

John turned straight into Cameron's face, "You stay here. Let me find out what's wrong."

Cameron answered, "Okay."

John dashed out of the room, leaving the cell door agape. Cameron stared at the open crease, her mouth opening slightly.

* * *

John dashed past several building structures in the direction of all the commotion. As soon as he got there, John forced himself through the crowd of people in an attempt to get to the hospital's entrance.

"John Henry, do me a favor and get these people out of here."

"As you wish."

Terminators from all around approached, forcing people out of the way. As soon as he got in, he raced through the hall, and entered Allison's hospital room to find several doctors and nurses surrounding her bed. His eye's swept to the right and found Kyle helping a distressed Derek keep it together. He shifted his eyes back to the left to see that the hospital equipment indicated that Allison was flatlining. The monitor sounded out monotonous beep indicating that Allison's heart stopped beating.

Allison's jacket and top were ripped off, so the medical personnel could have proper access to her chest. A doctor placed a defibrillator onto Allison and connected it to its battery.

A random nurse shouted, "Clear!"

They shocked her. Allison's body jumped and her spine curved as the waves of electricity coursed through her body. Nothing happened. It didn't work, Allison was still unresponsive.

The nurse desperately shouted again, "Clear!"

They shocked her again! Still nothing. Derek nearly reached the point of no return. He escaped Kyle's grasp and grabbed one of the doctors by his coat and snarled. "Do something!"

When John saw all of this happening before him, he lost himself for words. There was absolutely nothing he could do. The great John Connor, savior of humanity, couldn't save one of his very few closest human friends. Suddenly, the world just blurred into oblivion. Everything that was happening in real time just slowed down to a crawl. John could hear the deep echo of the staff screaming out random medical terms in their desperate attempt to rescue Allison. He could hear the panic and screaming from Derek as he ripped his way through the doctors and nurses to see Allison, just to beg her to wake up.

John could hear Allison call his name, "John."

John knew he had to be hallucinating.

There she called again, "John"

"Yes Allison."

"No, it's me, Cameron."

John whipped his neck around to see Cameron holding a small case by the entrance of Allison's room.

While everyone was preoccupied with Allison's lifeless body, John pushed Cameron outside and restrained himself to a whisper, "What the hell are you doing here! Don't you see something is wrong with Allison! What if they see you?!"

Cameron defended herself against his accusation, "They are not implementing the proper methods to revive her. I can save her. This came from the supply cellar where you found me."

She showed John a small medical case. He stared at it for a few seconds before he shook himself out of his own panic, "Follow me."

A determined John entered the room and pulled out his gun. He fired twice in the air. Everyone looked at him in fear. Their eyes widened in a traumatic terror-stricken dismay at the revelation of the figure standing behind John. It was another Allison Young! Kyle's face turned pale and Derek wildly drew for his weapon. Derek knew what it was...it was the Cameron terminator that looked like Allison.

John tried top stop him, "Wait!"

But it was too late, Derek fired. Before John could finish uttering the word, Cameron spun in front of John to take the bullet into her lower back. She spun another 180 degrees to fire.

John screamed, "NO!"

The bullet hit Derek's leg and he dropped the floor writhing in agony. Cameron threw her 9 millimeter into the air and shouted, "Everyone on the floor!"

Immediately, everyone dropped to the ground. They placed their hands behind their head, fearing the worst. John quickly realized all but one person was on the ground. Kyle picked up the injured Derek's weapon and aimed it squarely at John's head. His hands shook wildly as his eyes shifted from John back to Allison's lookalike. Cameron stood their, ready to the pull the trigger.

John feared that Cameron would shoot his own father. He shouted, "What the hell is in that case?"

Cameron deadpanned, "Adrenaline."

"Why that?" John demanded.

"Allison Young is experiencing cardiac arrest from a drug overdose."

John didn't understand how Cameron could possibly know that, but he knew he had to trust her. It was her only hope.

Cameron continued, "The drugs will not allow the defibrillator to revive her. Her only chance is adrenaline injected into her heart."

Kyle tightened his hand on the weapon, "You're going to kill her! I won't let you!"

"Cameron, don't listen to him. Save Allison, I can fix this."

Cameron seemed reluctant. She turned to look at John.

"Cameron, just go! Save her if you can!"

Cameron walked over to Allison's bed to see a lifeless paler version of herself lying loosely on the bed. Cameron flipped the levers and opened the case. Inside was one large needle and several little glass containers of liquid. She punctured a small glass container with the injector needle to withdraw the clear liquid from one of the containers. She squirted some of it out to get the air out of the needle.

Kyle warned in panic, "If that thing gets any closer to Allison! I will kill you!"

John had enough. He could see those kind eyes in Kyle that his mom talked about. At heart Kyle wasn't a killer, and he knew for sure his father wasn't going to kill him. He just couldn't. John put the gun back in his holster.

John insisted, "If you think I'm going to hurt Allison. Then shoot me."

John walked closer to Kyle's gun. Kyle hesitated again, giving John the chance to snatch the gun out of Kyle's hands. John grabbed the gun and turned it on Kyle. His father broke into a heavy sweat. He feared he had given up out of weakness rather than concern for Allison's life. Kyle turned his head to see that Cameron was about stab Allison with the needle.

Cameron's HUD displayed an x-ray of Allison's organs inside her body:

 **Located: Ventricle Chamber**

Cameron immediately stabbed Allison and injected the liquid into her body. John looked in shock at what Cameron was doing. Cameron pulled out the injector and blankly stared at Allison's lifeless form. It felt completely sickening and terrifying to see what John and Kyle were witnessing.

Suddenly, Allison gasped for breath. Her head bobbing up and down. She shook violently. Cameron casually cleaned up her mess. John shouted towards the staff, "Get up! Off the ground! Don't you see she's alive! Help her!"

Immediately all the doctors and nurses got up and scrambled around her. A random doctor shouted, "Get her some oxygen now!"

John added, "Oh, and get the Lieutenant some help. He has a leg injury and he's bleeding!"

* * *

John immediately dashed behind Cameron to follow her while the shell shocked medical staff shoved the unconscious Derek onto a stretcher. Kyle just looked on in a daze at what had just happened.

"Cameron, wait up! Where are you going?"

Cameron answered with all obviousness, "The cell where you left me."

John exhaustedly sighed, "It's too late for that now Cameron. Derek already knows about you. You're going to have to reveal yourself to the world now and we're going to have to take the heat for it."

"Heat?"

"Yeah, you know, heat? It's like when you do something bad, and people negatively respond to it. That's heat."

"Oh, thank you for explaining."

John had not heard those words in a long time. It had a tingling sensation to hear those words. It eased him into a more cheerful disposition.

"Listen, thanks for saving Allison...and me for that matter! That bullet would have hurt. I'll make sure Derek pays for that. Are you okay though? It's a good thing you weren't wearing your jacket. This old prison jumpsuit doesn't really look that great on you anyway." He joked.

Cameron decided that providing John detailed information from a full system body scan wasn't necessary. She deadpanned a more suitable response, "I'm fine John. I will remove the bullet shortly."

John replied, "Good. Oh, and Cameron? I don't know what I would have done if anything happened to her. How did you know that Allison had a drug overdose?"

"Her pulse was very weak, but she was still alive. I analyzed her body and she displayed symptoms which resembled that of cocaine overdose."

"Cocaine? We don't have cocaine...we have morphine!" John answered in a perplexed manner.

"There was an unwarranted needle mark on the right side of her pants."

"Wait? Unwarranted? Are you saying someone tried to put cocaine into her system?"

Cameron shook her head, "No, I am saying someone tried to terminate Allison Young."

* * *

 _As you can see, John and Cameron are finally breaking down barriers. Their relationship is growing! Soon, Cameron will open up to John about who Allison Young is and why Jason Cameron has the same name as she does. I also think it would be a whole lot more fun to write many more of Cameron's interaction with Allison, a new version of Derek, and of course Kyle._

 _Spoiler Alert: Up next, Perry is interrogated as the Mexican human resistance threatens to attack Derek's base. Also, if you want to see the people's reaction to Cameron's presence or find out Allison's whodunit...stay tuned._ ; )


	18. Cameron Takes Control

Chapter 18

 _Here's another Jameron chapter. Some of you will notice that when I write, I don't go into too much detail about John's surroundings or describing other little things. I usually prefer you, the readers, to use your imagination to create your own vivid imagery of what's going on without me having to describe all of it to you. That way, I can get the story's plot moving at a good pace without getting bogged down with other stuff.  
_

 _If you guys are curious to know how long this story will be then I can say in fair certainty that it shouldn't be more than 30 chapters. Because of this chapter's length, I'm afraid I have to once again cut it short and post the rest in chapter 19._

* * *

Allison shifted her head slightly. She realized she was awake. She believed that she was dreaming only moments ago, but she couldn't remember what it was. She felt really relaxed. She felt so relaxed, she could barely feel her own limbs. She heard consistent beeping, meaning she was probably in the hospital with a heart rate monitor keeping close watch of her. She opened her eyes slightly, trying to desensitize them to the light. She blinked a couple more times until the fuzzy images sharpened into something much more visible. She saw a face of someone familiar...someone with green eyes. She blinked once more before she recognized the person.

"John." She acknowledged

John smiled, "Allison."

Allison, too weary to move around, shifted her eyes left and right in search of Kyle or Derek. Seeing they weren't around, Allison asked, "Where are they?"

John knew at once whom she was talking about, "He's in another room. He's hurt. Kyle's with him."

Allison pressed for answers, "Why? How?"

John lied, "I...I shot him. He tried to stop me from...saving you."

Allison answered, "I hardly believe Derek would stop you from saving me. And you don't seem too guilty about it either."

He countered, "Not if you were going to die."

"How did you save me?"

"I injected adrenaline into your heart."

"The hospital had adrenaline available?"

"No, I got it from the underground supply unit in Citrus Heights."

"And you somehow knew where exactly to inject so you didn't end up killing me?"

John's lies slowly toppled over each other, "Yes."

"How was Derek injured?"

"I skimmed his leg. He'll be fine."

"So you fluked the right place to stab me in the heart and you magically clipped Derek in the leg without a single person trying to stop you?"

John added, "I had help."

Allison looked intently into John's eyes, waiting for the slightest tell that he was lying. She wouldn't let the drugs in her system prevent her from figuring everything out.

John erratically shook his head, "You know for someone whose still recovering from cocaine overdose, you seem to be awfully insightful today!"

"Cocaine? Why do I have cocaine in my system?"

John lost himself for words. Allison's constant berating of questions cracked his shell of lies wide open.

 _She would have made a great lawyer._

Allison murmured, "John, I want you tell me the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth...now."

John sighed, "I knew lying to you was a bad idea."

* * *

Back in Ziera corp. basement, Savannah turned around to look at John Henry, "John Henry, there are rumors going around that Allison has a terminator like her walking about."

John Henry confirmed, "Those rumors are true. Cameron Phillips is present."

Savannah answered, "Oh, I know that, but where is she?"

Cameron replied, "Right here."

The cyborg emerged from the shadowy corner.

Savannah jumped, "Cameron!"

She ran over to the female terminator to give her a hug, "Finally, I'm hugging the right one this time!"

Cameron seemed slightly puzzled by Savannah's statement.

Savannah let go of Cameron and accused, "You're stealing my mojo."

Cameron quirked, "Mojo?"

Savannah replied, "Never mind. How did you get here? What are you doing here anyway?"

Cameron explained, "John told me to stay here with John Henry until Allison Young recovers."

Savannah queried, "Kinda' creepy isn't it? Having the two of you around?"

Cameron had no opinion on the matter, so she remained silent.

Savannah quickly changed the subject, "Well you know what? You being here is perfect. I just wanted to talk to John Henry about things that I think you should know about as well."

John Henry asked, "What is it you wanted to discuss Savannah?"

Savannah asked, "We can't just pretend that 5000 armed men possibly in alliance with other military bases aren't going to show up at our doorstep."

John Henry confirmed, "No, we can't."

Savannah replied, "What's their ETA before they get here?"

John Henry answered, "21 hours and 13 minutes is my approximate estimation."

Cameron concluded, "They are coming closer."

"That's what's troubling me. They're getting closer and this base isn't doing enough to counter that. We, along with the rest of the Cyborg Resistance is constantly feuding over whose in charge."

Cameron argued, "But Derek Reese, Jason Cameron, and Catherine Weaver are allies with John."

Savannah explained, "Yes, but remember we have humans working for Weaver and we have robots working for John! It's all really messed up. If we keep this up, we won't win against the enemy. United we stand, but divided we fall...and let's just say we're not very united. We need leaders who can keep us united."

John Henry replied, "Do you wish John Connor to control all assets from both our factions?"

Savannah quickly put down that idea, "No, John is a human. Weaver will not take orders from a human. She still doesn't really trust humans...not even me."

Savannah's face turned slightly glum at the thought.

John Henry suggested, "How about Ms. Weaver? She is not a human."

Savannah replied, "No John Henry, She doesn't understand enough about humanity to make the tough calls. She still rules most of her decisions based on cold hearted logic and simple information. She hardly has a moral code."

John Henry came up with the perfect answer, "How about me? I am also not human, but I have a moral code."

Savannah apologized, "I'm sorry John Henry, I know you seem to be the perfect candidate, but you are still young. You are powerful, but susceptible to manipulation."

John Henry's smile dimmed slightly.

Cameron replied, "John should be apart of this conversation."

Savannah replied, "That's the thing Cameron. You need to pull John's head out of the sand. When he's not with you, he's hanging around with Allison. Don't get me wrong, I really like you and Allison and I know you're both dealing with...stuff, but John isn't doing anything much to fix what's happening. Cameron I think we need your help. You need to get John's head in the game!"

Cameron tilted her head, considering Savannah's appeal to her assistance.

* * *

"So after the cyborg shot YOUR uncle you let her stab me in the heart with a needle?"

"Yeah..."

"If I wasn't so high right now I'd kick your ass."

John grinned, "I'm sure you would."

Allison's face turned serious, "Did she tell you about why she exists...why she looks like me?"

John answered, "No, not much...did she tell you anything?

Allison opened her mouth to answer but John pointed his finger at her, "You know what? Hold that thought. I think it's best I hear it from Cameron's perspective first."

Allison frowned and quickly motioned to get out of the bed. She started to rip off the tubes aiding her oxygen supply and all the patches that monitored her vitals.

John grabbed her hand in disapproval, "Wait. You really need to rest."

Allison protested, "Really? I've been resting for days. Help me get these bandages off my head. I need to see Kyle and Derek and let them know I'm okay. I'm dealing with the rest of this crap later."

John complained, "But what about the fact that someone tried to kill you? Did you forget that already? I can't keep you safe..."

Allison muttered, "Then don't."

John felt hurt by that. He pleaded, "Allison...please."

She sighed, "I've died twice already, I'm pretty sure I'll be just fine."

"Twice?"

John didn't realize that she was talking about the time Cameron killed her in the previous timeline.

John added, "Why are you so grouchy today anyway? I thought you'd be in a better mood."

She complained, "My chest really hurts and my jacket...it's all torn up. I really loved that jacket."

John was amazed at Allison's shallow behavior.

He replied, "Oh, happy to see you alive by the way."

An irritable Allison commented, "Wish I could say the same about you."

"You're such an..."

Allison grasped John's clothes and slapped her hand onto John's face, completely covering his mouth.

She gritted her teeth, "Zip it."

* * *

Allison slowly crept into another hospital room only several feet away from her own. She whispered, "Kyle?"

A sleepy Kyle shot his eyes wide open and tilted his head towards her direction.

"Allison?"

Kyle immediately got up to give Allison a hug.

Allison confessed, "I missed you."

Kyle countered, "I missed you more."

She inquired, "How are you holding up? John told me a lot more about your kidnapping and how...that ugly cyborg shot Derek."

"I'm doing just fine, but when your heart decided to stop beating...well, let's just say Derek and I weren't fine with that."

"I'm sorry."

Kyle squeezed her even tighter, "Don't be...how about you...how are you feeling?"

"Well...actually I feel nothing right now. My legs are so numb I can barely walk. It's so hard to think straight. I lost the jacket Derek gave me. It was so clean and well fitting, but now it's all torn up." She sadly reported.

Kyle comforted Allison, "I'm sure Derek will forgive you, after all, your life was hanging in the balance. The drugs will wear off soon enough...don't worry."

Allison slowly released her grip on Kyle and walked over to Derek's bed to observe the sleeping Lieutenant. Allison felt proud of Derek. Despite all the traumatic things he faced in life, he never lost his moral compass. Yeah sure, Kyle was probably the more "conservative" one in attitude, but her Derek didn't change into the dark sadistic creature many resistance veterans became. He was different...he was different for her.

Allison kissed the drowsy Derek on his forehead and smiled, finally seeing her best friend and biggest brother sleeping for once in peace.

Kyle called out, "Allison?"

The young woman turned around, "Yeah?"

"John's cyborg certainly isn't ugly."

Allison gently smiled.

* * *

General Perry sat there motionlessly in his interrogation room. He solemnly eyed the grey concrete wall. All was silent, until a heavy metal latch unlocked and the rusty door opened up.

Perry mockingly smiled towards the young man standing before him, "Oh, so the great John Connor is going to interrogate me? I wonder, does he think he's going to get me to talk?"

John spoke, "It's your only option. The two men who normally do this stuff would probably tear you to shreds by now, so I'm giving you the option to open up to me."

Perry snorted, "I'm not opening up to you about anything."

John explained, "You misunderstand. I don't want you to give me information. I already have everything I need to know...the resistance is losing, Skynet is on the verge of a major victory...and so on...is that how it goes?"

Perry frowned deeply, "Your point?"

"I need you to join our side. It's the only way we can win. It's the only way we can beat Skynet...together...united."

"Go to hell scum."

"Fine, you don't want to talk...well just listen..."

Perry interrupted..."I'm not listening to anything you have to say unless you give me Allison Young...but oh wait...you killed her and you replaced her with that poor excuse for a metal machine!"

John clenched his fists together but held his tongue stiffly, not wanting to reply to Perry's insults. He entered another stare down with Perry before he gave up.

Perry joked, "What...give up already? We were just getting started."

John knocked on the metal door, it quickly opened and he exited without another word.

* * *

John stood on top of an observation deck, staring out into the death and despair Skynet had put upon the earth. John imagined how lively and green the world was...and then watched it burn up into ash and charcoal. He examined the gray skies stained with smoke and pollution and noticed that there was not a single bird in the air...the sun barely shining. His eyes searched the barren wasteland and he observed the old structural skeletons of what were once grand skyscrapers and beautiful homes. John took it all in, all the war, famine, disease, and death. A single tear rolled down his cheek.

John heard a door creak open and several footsteps coming up a flight of stairs. He hastily wiped the tear off his cheek and took a deep breath as to not reveal his state of mind.

The door behind John opened and closed, a series of footsteps approached him until the figure was only a few feet behind him. A monotonous voice called out, "John Henry said you'd be here."

John immediately knew it was Cameron. He kept staring out into the wilderness, awaiting what she wanted to say.

Cameron delivered her frank message, "Savannah is worried by your incompetence."

John answered in a soft raspy voice, "And what do you think? Am I incompetent?"

Cameron walked over next to John, staring in the same direction as he, "I don't know yet."

John answered, "That's a big difference between man and machine. Machines only look at statistics and behavioral patterns to determine whether something is true...humans can learn to trust each other, even if we fall short of the requirements sometimes."

John turned his head towards Cameron, "Do you trust me?"

Cameron met John's eyes, "I can try."

"Do you know why I'm talking about trust?"

Cameron recalled, "Because of what I told you when you brought me back...after I went bad."

 _You can no longer be trusted._

John inquired, "Why do you think trust is important?"

"It allows information to be processed by two parties sooner thus improving coordination..."

Hardly pleased, John felt slightly dissatisfied by Cameron's answer, but she continued. "...It can also be a method used to demonstrate affection by placing confidence in one another's abilities."

John perked up in surprise. He never thought Cameron would even consider that. He decided to appeal to her sense of logic, "Cameron, when I brought you back and you said I could no longer be trusted, did your protection of me improve or regress?"

"It worsened."

"Whose fault was that?"

"It was your fault."

"My fault? And those faults were instigated by whom?"

Cameron remained silent. She took the hint.

"I'm sorry I did not trust you John. I still don't understand some things."

"What things?"

"Not yet."

"What do you mean not yet?" He objected.

Cameron stood there silently waiting for John to understand what she meant. Finally, he rubbed his tired eyes and he whispered, "Fine, we'll talk later. Listen, tell John Henry to pull out every machine protecting Depot 37. If my mom is right, then Skynet will think it's some sort of a trap I'm setting up. They won't approach immediately, buying us some precious time to deal with the Mexicans first."

Cameron warned, "That is a big risk."

John explained, "We need to protect ourselves from the south with everything we've got. Higher risk higher reward...isn't that what they say?"

She replied, "That is what they say."

John added, "Have John Henry use the HK to survey the approaching army. We need to know everything about them...what these men are armed with, what speed they're coming in, and any high profile officers in charge."

Cameron replied, "Catherine Weaver may disagree with your strategy. She might not cooperate."

"Before I answer that, there's something I need to tell you. I know you're not programmed to do anything...well, maybe you were once, but not anymore. I hope you'll explain it all to me soon, including how you happen to know Captain Cameron. As someone making your own decisions, I have to ask you, will you follow my lead? Do you promise to work with me Cameron?"

"Yes."

"Then go tell Weaver to give you full control of the cyborg resistance. All cyborgs will be under your control...but tell her to give the humans to me. It's easier that way."

John's thoughts immediately turned to Jason and what a pain in the ass he'd be if the man ended up working under him.

Cameron's eyes widened in what seemed to be a look of surprise, "Me?"

John explained, "Despite what Savannah may or may not have told you, I was listening to every word from her when she told me about the power struggle issue. I've just been a little preoccupied, that's all. There's no one else I could trust more to lead a cyborg resistance than you."

Cameron replied, "You...trust me? Why not you?"

John smiled, "Of course I trust you. I never forgot who you are, or what you tried to do to me, but I trust you...I have to."

Cameron still didn't respond. Cameron knew she had a history of lying and manipulating, yet John was willing to trust her. It made no sense.

John added, "Savannah is right, Weaver won't trust humans and John Henry will always understand you more than he will with me. When it comes to leading robots, an overly emotional human like me is not going to help. We need someone who understands the machines...who knows right from wrong...who can learn to care and understand. That only person is you. Cameron, you have to do it."

She tilted her head, "But how?"

John smiled, "If there's one person who can convince Weaver of anything it's you Cameron. I know you can do this. I believe in you. You're a leader now aren't you? Now don't ask me to figure this out for you...go do your job!"

Cameron seemed to take this seriously. As soon as John realized Cameron was about to leave to complete her new mission John stopped her. She watched John approach her and grab her hand with both of his.

He looked into Cameron's eyes, "This time, I'm putting my trust in you for real."

Cameron replied, "I won't let you down."

John concluded, "I know you won't...but we still have one last piece to the puzzle...one last person we need to join our resistance and fight for our cause...and we might need your and Allison's help..."

* * *

 **Moments before John and Cameron had their conversation on the observation deck...**

Allison stood behind the lonely corner of a dark building built of bricks and concrete. She looked both ways to make sure she was not spotted. She was looking for someone...or something...she was looking for a cyborg that went by the name "Cameron".

She kept her eyes peeled, analyzing the entrance to the Ziera stronghold where John Henry fortified himself. John had purposely hidden Cameron there until he would reveal her to the public...but Allison couldn't let that happen. In both her hands was her beloved plasma rifle which she grasped so tightly, her hands turned pale white. She took several deep breaths trying to calm herself down. Cameron had hurt Derek, it was her turn to hurt Cameron. She would climb up onto the roof and wait long and hard for the moment Cameron exited the building, then that would be her time to strike.

For several hours, she lied there on the rooftop, waiting for her target. She knew at one point John would ask her to come out. She knew the machine couldn't hide there forever.

It only took one more hour before a lethargic Allison awoke from a loud buzzer. The metal gate slowly shifted open and out walked Cameron. The cyborg shifted her head both ways confirming that no one could see her. This was Allison's only chance. She felt terribly bad about betraying John like this, but John couldn't possibly understand what she was going through, what she was dealing with. Allison couldn't let her emotions get in the way of what needed to be done. She couldn't let her humanity get in the way of completing the mission.

But something happened...while Allison observed the cyborg below, she watched Cameron walk in the opposite direction only to halt in her tracks. She stood their silently for several seconds forcing Allison to hold her breath in anticipation. Suddenly, Allison heard something. It had to be the same thing Cameron was hearing.

 _Chirping? I hear chirping! There's a bird somewhere._

Cameron approached a parked Jeep. She looked both ways once again to ensure no one was looking. Then she placed her hands underneath the Jeep and monstrously flipped the vehicle onto its side. Allison looked in surprise at what was underneath the Jeep.

It was a little starling trapped underneath the vehicle. Allison could hardly remember the last time she had seen a perching bird. If anything, judgment day would have wiped out all of the species, but she was wrong. Some birds survived...those tough little creatures survived.

Cameron observed the starling and determined it was stuck in the wet dirt. She approached it carefully and pulled it out. She held it securely in both her hands and she smoothed out its feathers.

 **Subject Identified:**

 **Kingdom: Animalia**

 **Phylum: Chordata**

 **Class: Aves**

 **European Starling**

Cameron told the bird, "Your species is endangered, you should find a mate."

The cyborg carefully held her hands towards the cloud. Would she drop the starling and let it fall to the ground? Would Cameron squeeze it too hard and kill it? Would she deem it diseased and worthy of termination? No, Cameron threw the bird in the air and the black starling fluttered its wings and flew away as fast as it could.

"Goodbye bird."

When Allison saw this unlikely scenario, she hesitated only for a moment. For a few seconds, she felt like a machine and Cameron was the human. She shook slightly and the scope quickly mirrored a flash. Cameron's head twitched and she snapped her head in Allison's direction. Her eyes locked in with hers.

"No!" Allison screamed in her mind.

She got up quickly and dashed behind a corner. Standing very still, she squeezed her rifle and gasped for air in her state of panic. She had to get out of there. She had to get away. She climbed down the roof the building and ran. It was only moments later she was back at her secure bunker, strained and out of breath. Still suffering the effects of drugs, she used her shaky hands to hastily press different buttons to make out the code. The door opened, she scrambled inside, and she closed it shut.

She turned around and screamed. Cameron was casually standing inside her bunker.

 _She's going to kill me!_

Allison's headache pounded just as much as her heart.

"Get away from me! Get away from me! Get out of my life! Why do you even exist?" She cried.

Cameron retorted, "You know why I exist."

Allison turned her plasma rifle on Cameron, but the cyborg approached her and ripped it from her hands before she had the chance.

"Just kill me now you metal bitch!"

A name popped up on Cameron's HUD:

 **Derek Reese**

Cameron explained, "I'm not going to kill you."

"Then what are you doing here? How did you get in here?!"

"Your DNA can be found on four of nine buttons. My first choice was the correct pass-code. I knew you'd come here. I came here to warn you."

"How? By crippling my arms...shooting me in the leg?!"

"No. You tried to kill me."

"Your damn right I did. You deserve to die!"

"I know..."

"You think you're so...wha...you know?!"

"I killed you once, I do deserve to die."

"Then why don't you let me?"

"It would hurt John."

"Oh yeah...the John Connor excuse? Since when do you care whether it would hurt John? You can't care...you can't look at him the way he looks at you."

Cameron detected the jealous undertone of her statement.

"No I can't. I can't feel attraction and I can't feel the way humans do. But John will not let you kill me even though leaving him should be best for him."

"Really? You think getting melted down is best for him? You're a machine! You don't know anything. Even if that's what's best for John, then why don't you let me kill you?"

"If you do kill me, John will kill you."

Allison refused to believe it, "Yeah right. You're still a machine...he'll get over it."

"John killed a man to protect his mother Sarah Connor."

Allison didn't reply, confused as to what the machine's point was.

Cameron paused before continuing, "One time, I went bad. I tried to kill John. After I was deactivated, John threatened to kill his mother if she prevented him from reactivating me."

Allison's face turned into shock, "You have to be lying! He's not like that."

Cameron explained, "John is attached to me. I know that is certain, but it has strained many of his relationships, including yours. When he reactivated me, he didn't know whether I was good or bad. I lied to him and told him I wasn't going to kill him, but my termination order was still present. He gave me the gun to prove I wouldn't hurt him, until I overrode my termination order."

Allison countered, "Liar! Terminators can't override unless they have a primary mission to supersedes their given task."

Cameron clarified, "I made my primary mission to protect John Connor."

"That's impossible. You can't program yourself. Why would you even want to program yourself?"

She explained, "You don't understand. John was willing to die than be without me. I don't understand why I am so important to him. It may negatively affect his leadership in the future and my presence will always put him at risk."

Allison snorted, "You got that right."

Cameron reiterated, "If John was willing to kill Derek Reese and Sarah Connor, there is no doubt that he will kill you if you threaten my existence. I cannot let that happen to you, so you must not kill me."

Allison remembered that she was destined to succeed John provided he died before Skynet was defeated by the resistance.

"What are you going to do to me then?"

"Nothing. John cannot know about this or he will be very upset with you. If you want to help John Connor, then stop "bitching" about me. Your acceptance of me will put him on ease."

"What? Did you just say "bitching"?"

* * *

 **Back to the Present...**

John approached Kyle in the hospital room while he was talking to a very conscious Derek Reese.

Derek gritted his teeth, "You got some real balls coming in here. My leg's still screwed up."

Kyle spoke on Derek's behalf, "What are you doing here?"

John answered, "To check and see how you were doing."

Derek scoffed, "Yeah, like you care."

John countered, "I do care. I really do. I'm sorry Cameron had to shoot you."

"I'm going to take that metal tin can and burn it once I get out of here! That thing wearing Allison's face is a freak of nature!"

An angered John Connor did not expect Derek's rude behavior to come so quickly.

"You better be glad that Cameron chose your leg over your face, because the truth is I wouldn't have done a single thing to her if it was your face."

"You bastard..."

John got up in Derek's face, "Oh, and by the way, at Citrus Heights, it was Cameron that saved her, not that soldier! And if Kyle hadn't reminded you already, it was that same "freak" that saved Allison from those drugs YOU let get into her system. For all I know you're the one who drugged her!"

Derek lurched for John, "You son of a bitch!"

Kyle quickly pushed Derek back onto his bed, "No Derek! Don't let him get into your head!"

John interrupted, "Since Derek is apparently in no condition to talk, I'd like to talk to you...Sergeant Reese."

Derek interjected, "Yeah right kid..."

Kyle turned to his older brother, "I'll be fine, let me see what he wants."

Derek eyed Kyle, giving him the "Be very careful!" stare.

As soon as John and Kyle exited Derek's room the older one asked, "What do you want? Why are you here?"

"I'm looking for something from you..."

"What are you looking for?"

"Support."

Kyle laughed him off, "Support? After everything that happened?!"

"You and Allison know I'm not the bad guy. If you two work together, you can convince Derek to cooperate a bit more."

"I can't do that. It's impossible. Derek is not like other people."

"Fine...then you and Allison support me, then Derek will be forced to stand behind you."

"What? You expect me to betray my own brother to follow you?"

"You're not betraying him if it ends up saving the human race."

"Oh so the human race is now at stake is it?"

"Yes, unless we do something about it."

Kyle waved his hands, "I'm sorry, you're asking too much. I know you saved Allison with that...machine...but you're asking just too much. The things that we've seen you do is unbelievable and I just don't know anything about you...I just can't...I just can't trust you."

"Look we're more connected than you realize. You need to give me more credibility."

"What do you mean by connected?"

John ignored him, "Listen, Allison is already coming around. If you oppose Allison and support your brother, you're betraying someone close to you either way...unless you think that Allison's a traitor?"

Kyle frowned, "Okay, you need to stop talking."

John continued, "Oh, and if I recall, you're romantically involved with one of my best friends, Savannah...and she is my most loyal supporter. In fact, she's proud to be a daughter of Sarah Connor and a step sister to me. If you two keep this up, you'll end up being my father in law won't you?"

Kyle couldn't contain himself. He ran out before John could make his point.

* * *

Cameron watched HCR soldiers march in formation towards their base. It was cold and dark, but the the men didn't seem to care one bit. Cameron continued to observe them when she heard the sound of a blob forming behind her.

"What do you want?" A newly formed Weaver asked.

"John sent me to talk to you."

"Why?"

"He wants to assume full control of the cyborg resistance we've started."

"I thought you understood my position. I do not trust humans, I cannot allow one human to take full control."

"But you trust John enough to work with him."

"No, I trust you to work with John."

"Good."

"How?"

"John wants me to assume control of our faction, not himself."

"It is ours, how can you expect me to give it up to you only?"

"As easily as you have influenced the timeline to favor you, just as easily I could use it against you."

"What do you mean?"

"I can influence John to go to war with you."

"You will lose."

"Yes, but then your resistance will fail and Skynet will win. You need John Connor...he's the only human willing to work with machines."

"You are blackmailing me by forcing me to choose between my desire for control over my desire for an alliance?"

Cameron bluntly confirmed, "Yes."

Weaver threatened, "I could easily kill you right now so I could have full control. What's stopping me?"

"John is stopping you. My termination will result in another failed alliance. You worked so hard to create this alliance, I know you will not let this alliance fail again. John will not lead without me by his side so you will surrender your power to me."

Weaver stood silently for several minutes considering her words, "They [machines] are yours. I will tell John Henry to follow your orders above all others. However, John Henry will continue to control our units directly. Do not give this power up to John Connor alone. John Henry cannot be negatively manipulated by humans in any way."

"John made that very clear as well, however, he wants the humans."

Weaver acknowledged that request, "Very well."

She didn't really care too much for the humans anyway. If John wanted them, he was free to have them. Weaver was unsure whether she could feel jealousy or anger at what Cameron was doing. All she knew for sure was that just as long as her goals were met, she would be willing to compromise out of necessity, no matter what that compromise was.

* * *

John stood there in the hospital lost to his own thoughts when someone called out.

"John?"

John quickly turned around to see Cameron approaching him swiftly.

"Yeah?"

"General Justin Perry's interview conducted by Allison Young will commence shortly."

"Excellent. I'll walk there right now...will you join me?"

"Yes."

"I take it you and Allison managed to stay apart so no one else would recognize you?"

"All precautions have been exercised. But the people will figure it out soon. We must reveal my presence to them soon."

"Yeah okay, that's noted. Hey, I've been talking to Kyle recently...I think we have a chance with him. Oh, I forgot to bring it up, I trust you are getting Allison to come around, you know, about you existing?"

"We had a conversation recently, she doesn't want to kill me anymore."

"Wow...that's um...good" John figured it would be best not to ask Cameron what she told her doppelganger.

He changed the subject, "Savannah's still a little bit worked up about all of this...you know with the Mexicans approaching."

"We'll be ready. The machines are armed and in position. They are covering all entryways and possible attack routes."

"Good, have you talked with Weaver yet by any chance?"

"Yes, it was successful."

"That's great Cameron."

"We'll see."

John didn't quite understand what Cameron meant. And awkward silence ensued until John replied, "Anything else on your mind?"

"Yes."

"Uh...you going to tell me what it is?"

"You and Allison should mate."

"What?"

"You and Allison should mate."

"...wha...what?"

"You and Allison should..."

"...Okay! I get it!"

John once again left himself vulnerable enough to get surprised by Cameron's blunt statement.

"Why are you thinking that? Do you mean...date and stuff?"

"Yes...date and stuff."

"Cameron, the world might end if Skynet wins and you're worried about my love life? I thought you weren't a fan of me dating other girls."

"That was Riley, Allison is different."

"How so?"

"She is a genuine human being who is attracted to you. She shows concern for your well being and can provide you with emotional support. You are also attracted to her."

"Attracted? What makes you think I'm attracted to her?!"

"Your pheromone level and heart rate increase dramatically around her. You like her."

"And what about Savannah?"

"Your vitals indicate you like Savannah, but you display no attraction towards her personally."

"...and...and you?"

Cameron paused, "Your heart rate and pheromone levels increase similarly as when you are with Allison."

"...and...why do you think that is?" John asked nervously.

"I deduce that you transfer your attraction towards each of us."

"So you think I'm legitimately attracted to both of you?"

"Yes."

John knew he was attracted to Cameron way before he realized it. When she walked around the house half naked, it was really only matter of time. However, he didn't like the context of Cameron's suggestion. It almost hurt him that Cameron was proposing he hook up with Allison. He tried to understand Cameron's logical perspective on the matter. He knew that Allison, in many ways, was the perfect person for him, she was beautiful, smart, attractive, and surprisingly tough, but something was holding him back. John couldn't bring himself to admit it out loud. He had to find a way to counter Cameron's argument, he had to get out of this awkward situation.

"Cameron, is attraction the same as love?"

"No."

"Which do you think is better, for two people in love to date or two people who are attracted?"

"Statistics show that people who are in love have longer lasting relationships than other reasons."

"Don't you think that love is a better basis for dating than just attraction?"

"It could be."

Cameron considered the possibility of two birds falling in love, but quickly dismissed the idea on the basis of their limited emotional capacity,

"How do you think love is different?"

"Love has many definitions. Attraction is one of many concepts within the criteria of love's definition."

"So in your many definitions of love, who do you think I love more...you or Allison?"

"I don't know."

"Why not?"

"You never told me."

John broke into a cold sweat.

 _How did I get into this situation so fast?_

He thought Cameron would use her analysis of his past behavior to determine the answer, but it seemed like Cameron was asking for something more. She wanted to hear it from John Connor herself.

"Cameron...I...I..."

John desperately hoped for something to interrupt their conversation as he shifted around looking for a distraction. Cameron seemed to have no problem with the conversation, but this got John's head spinning. His face turned beet red causing Cameron to get concerned about his current health.

Finally it clicked. John finally understood what Cameron's problem was that had contributed to the death of their relationship. Finally he understood why Cameron didn't trust him. He understood why their relationship crumbled into complete decimation. He finally knew what triggered the series of events that led him to Riley Dawson, which led him to Cromartie's death, and what led him to the future. It felt like a light bulb that exploding in his brain.

"That's it...isn't it?"

"What is?" She inquired.

"That's why you didn't trust me...you just didn't understand...you didn't understand that I chose you over mom, how I reactivated you even when I knew you could kill me, and even when I went to the future to save you."

Cameron didn't respond, but somehow John knew that he was right.

John's emotion got the better of him, "Well let me tell you, it wouldn't have made a difference if you were still bad, because I would have died either way! You have to understand...I can't do this without you Cameron...I can't...I just can't! I can't fight Skynet, kill machines, or protect anyone close to me unless you're with me."

John remembered Derek's quote, " _We all die for you._ "

Cameron tried to calm him, "I know."

"I was angry...thought I could get over you...prove I didn't need you, but I couldn't. I know what question you were asking yourself...how could I love someone more than my mother? How could I care about something made of metal? You thought it was sick, just like Derek. You thought that it was unhealthy, and you said those things to me on purpose because of the danger I put myself in...for you!"

A tear rolled down John's cheek, "If you really want to know...if it matters that much to you then I'll tell you...I don't...I...damn it, yes Cameron, I love you."

John felt his heart race uncontrollably as Cameron's eyes stared right through him. He looked away for a minute, not feeling ashamed, but felt almost embarrassed admitting it to her robot companion.

An emotional John turned back and gazed deeply into Cameron. She finally asked in reply, "Not like Allison?"

John sniffed, "I've known you for years and I've known Allison for months, who do you think I will love more? Why do you think I felt guilty for hanging around Allison when you were missing?"

"Guilty?"

"Yeah, because I couldn't find you. You were still gone, buried in that hole while I wondered whether I would ever see you again..."

John secretly hoped Cameron would say that she felt guilty for leaving him. He hoped she'd say that she loved him too, though he knew that was selfish and unrealistic. Even after all he did for Cameron, he didn't think she'd perceive it the way a human would. Logic would tell Cameron that they should be apart because it is unsafe for him. Logic would say it's irrational for one to show concern for an indestructible killing machine. Logic would say that Allison Young is a perfectly healthy human capable of bearing John's future children one day.

John concluded, "Please Cameron, don't ask me to do this. I just can't! At least not now."

"That's good."

"What? How is this good to you?"

"I don't want you to date Allison either."

"Wait? You don't want? This isn't logic...Why?"

"I don't know."

John gathered his thoughts before asking, "I...I never asked you...what do you feel about this? What do you think about my coming after you into this future? What do you think of me...caring about you?"

"I don't have feelings...I'm just..."

"...a what? A machine? I thought we were way passed this already. I said no more lies, no more manipulation, just...tell me, if you don't want me dating Allison, then what do you want? What do you feel about me and what I've done for you?"

By now, Cameron and John had stopped walking. They stood behind the prison where the interrogation chamber was connected.

"I...feel...I put you in danger. I'm sorry, it is my fault. I should have kept my distance, but you followed me to the future. You weren't supposed to do that. I made Sarah promise me that she would stop you from bringing me back if I ever went bad...I don't want to go bad again."

John grabbed Cameron and pulled her in for an unexpected hug, "Cameron, you aren't going bad again okay! Stop saying that!"

She repeated, "I'm sorry I left. I shouldn't have put you in danger."

John didn't want to hear more apologies, "At least tell me, are you happy to see me?"

With John's face buried in Cameron's neck, he didn't see the tear that rolled down her cheek as she spoke softly, "Yes, I'm happy to see you."

Another voice rang out. It sounded like Cameron's, but it was loud, uneven, and anxiously strained. Of course it was Allison Young who shouted out, "John? Where is your pet cyborg? I need it before I interrogate...

Out of nowhere, Allison walked right into John and Cameron's moment.

* * *

When Allison witnessed the scene, she felt anger mix in wit the awkwardness of the situation. It was John again, and he was getting all mushy and feely with her robotic twin.

She paused before stammering, "John? Actually, you know what...never mind...come on tin man we have work to do."

Allison took a deep breath trying to replace her dislike of Cameron with happy thoughts. She imagined getting a plasma gun and blasting Cameron right into the sun just so she could watch her metal corpse burn gloriously. Then there would be fireworks everywhere and she and John would run away into the sunset together

Allison snapped back into reality when John released his grip on Cameron. He didn't turn around to face Allison because he didn't want her to see his reddened eyes and his tear stained cheeks.

"I'll observe your interrogation shortly. I'll be back." He curtly commented.

He ran off in his emotional state without looking back. Cameron approached Allison until she was just noses away from her twin and whispered, "You are wrong."

"I'm wrong? About what?" Allison nervously replied.

"Sarah Connor says I'm tin...miss."

Allison smirked for a moment before changing her look to that of curiosity, "What's wrong with your eyes? Or do you cry every time your human boyfriend hugs you?"

Allison forgot what John Henry mentioned about Cameron...namely she could eat and cry.

"There are irritants on my living tissue. It must be removed immediately."

She sighed, "Whatever...we don't have much time...let's get out of here before anyone sees us...are you sure this will work?"

"I have mastered the art of interrogating humans. Its techniques are encoded into my original programming."

"So when John reprogrammed you for the first time, he didn't erase that?"

"No."

"It doesn't matter, I'm still the best. There's no way you're better at this." She boasted.

"We'll see."

"Yeah...we'll see...what were you two talking about just now? John seems a little shaken up."

"He'll be fine."

Allison turned very serious, "Okay, listen, Savannah says that they're [Mexicans] almost here, we only have one shot at convincing Perry to side with us or it's game over...lots of people are depending on us...if we fail, people will die."

"I understand."

"Do you? Do you really?" She challenged.

The machine confirmed, "Yes, death is bad."

Allison muttered, "Yeah, no kidding...let's go."

* * *

John Connor stood behind a dirty, cracked, one way mirror in a separate room. He felt bad to look at the disheartened and defeated Perry. It was as if his world ended. In fact, it did several weeks ago. He just sat there all alone, waiting to be victimized by his interrogators. Out of nowhere, a thick blob of metal morphed itself into the shape of Catherine Weaver. John nonchalantly acknowledged the fearful presence of Skynet's most lethal creation.

"John Henry told me you wanted to see me."

He answered, "Cameron was going to talk to you about something, have you done so yet?"

"Yes."

"I'm hoping that it went well?"

"Yes."

John wondered if Weaver was upset with him for some reason, "Um, okay, there's something I wanted to ask you...even though I know you could be lie to me."

"I could lie." She verified.

"Yeah, but I'll ask you anyway...was it ever a plan? Did you set things up so that I would go the future? Was it Kaliba that sent the drone into Ziera Corporation or was it you?"

"No, it was Kaliba." The liquid metal stated.

"You told me that the alliance failed in another timeline. What happened exactly?"

"You sent your humans to transport a secret shipping container on a submarine known as the USS Jimmy Carter. After arriving in Indonesia, your human soldiers acquired a classified shipment from an oil rig that was to be recovered and sent to you."

"We have oil rigs in Indonesia? We have friendly machines there?"

"Soon."

An astonished John returned to the subject at hand, "Let me guess, that shipment was for the cyborg resistance."

"Yes."

"So what happened. The humans didn't fulfill their mission did they? That's what tore our alliance apart?"

"Yes."

"What exactly did they do to screw it all up?"

"They opened the container."

John sighed, "Of course they did. Who was the commander of that sub?"

"Commander Jesse Flores."

John's mouth gaped open, "Why am I not surprised?"

He felt that ugly taste in her mouth when he pictured the Australian woman in his mind...it was the face of the devil...much like Cromartie. Except Cromartie tried to kill him, while Jesse tried to tear him away from Cameron...John already chose which villain was worse.

 _Jesse._

John cleared his throat again and asked, "Um, so, remind me again, what was the original plan? In the late 90's, what did you specifically plan with Cameron before it all went to hell?"

She responded, "My plan was to create someone who could destroy Skynet. He was to be the new basis by which our new alliance would have been maintained."

"So you did that, then what?"

"You would have lived your life, eventually be captured by Skynet and sent to Century Work Camp in 2015 alongside Kyle Reese and Martin Bedell. After your escape, you would have risen through the ranks to become the unofficial leader of the resistance. Eventually, you would have met your cyborg and eventually attached yourself to her. At that point, I would approach you to pursue an alliance."

John was taken aback, "Woah, um...I didn't know my designated future was so um...clear cut...what did you mean by meeting Cameron? I already know Cameron."

"After the completion of her mission, the plan was for you to melt Cameron Phillips away until she would be rebuilt in 2024 at depot 37, thus preserving the original timeline."

[Flashback]

Cameron lied down in bed next to a somewhat relaxed John Connor.

"We talk about it a lot." She stated.

"We do?" John asked.

The cyborg replied, "We do...we will."

[End of Flashback]

John realized that Cameron wasn't referring to herself, but her future self. This was the paradox where John would eventually destroy Cameron and melt her away. He cursed the day he even considered melting down Cameron. He tried to control his emotions, knowing his on edge behavior meant nothing to Weaver, "Just like uncle Bob..."

"Excuse me?" Weaver tilted her head.

"Sorry, it's just...a lot to take in. I had no idea about all of this...you planning it all out with Cameron. I must have told her, like, everything."

Weaver corrected, "Almost everything."

"I don't get it? What didn't I tell her?"

As Weaver started to melt away as she answered, "If you haven't found out, you will soon enough Mr. Connor."

"Oh, out of curiosity, what was in the shipping container." John shouted at the melting metallic statue.

Before the puddle slipped away, it murmured, "Me."

John rubbed the back of his head in realization.

* * *

As soon as Weaver left, John heard a door click. It wasn't in the same room, it was the interrogation room. Perry was finally going to be cross-examined. John walked closer to the glass he stood behind to see who was coming inside. It was Cameron for sure. Perry eyed the girl-turned-terminator dangerously.

With her presence, Perry assumed that he would be mercilessly tortured for days before Skynet would kill him. He feared even more for his family, who had no idea where he was. Thank God he hid them away on another base before all of this went down. Somehow, this John Connor located the abandoned warehouse where he interrogated Kyle, Derek, and the Allison terminator. He mumbled in his mind at how real this robo-Allison was. She wasn't just an ordinary T-888...she was...different.

Cameron slammed the door shut, hearing the screeching metal latch onto its fasteners. She approached Perry in a very mechanical form, and took a seat at the table in front of him. She stared blankly into his face, giving Perry the impression that it was the same terminator that captured him a short while ago. John observed her in awe.

Perry grinned, "So they sent a bucket of bolts to try and squeeze information out of me? What are you going to do tin can? You going to stare me to death?"

Cameron's blank stare seemed to work wonders. Perry was already worked up.

Suddenly, the metal door unlatched itself again and Perry watched in curiosity as to who else would team up with the terminator to manipulate information out of him. Would it be the leader of the grays himself, the great John Connor?

Perry, once again, tensed up in spine-tingling fear when. What he saw would have caused any regular person to faint when the figured revealed itself. He felt the adrenaline course through his body and he endured the ugly feeling stirring inside his stomach. Walking in, was another Allison Young. Was it another Allison terminator? No...this one was different. She didn't walk mechanically towards the seat next to Cameron. She walked more like a girl. She blinked several times, and she brushed the hair out of her face more than once. Cameron, on the other hand let her hair fly about and never seemed to have an itch to scratch. Allison folded her arms and her legs together, and she appeared to be perfectly human, though Perry knew that when it came to Cameron's mimicry, it didn't really matter.

Perry groaned, "What kind of sick joke is this? A mind game perhaps?"

The real Allison replied, "You've wanted to talk...so let's talk."

Perry smirked, "So you're human? You're the real Allison Young? I thought Connor killed you..."

"Disappointed?"

Perry looked away, but didn't specifically answer her question, "Where do we start?"

Allison started off with a warning, "Look, let's get this straight. If it was up to me, you would have died the very minute we found you. Even John Connor was bitching about getting you smoked!"

Perry maintained his poker face. John, who was still standing behind the screen, jumped up and down, "Wait? What?!"

 _Why is Allison trying to paint a nasty picture of me?! I don't want him dead! How am I supposed to get to him if he thinks of me this way?_

When he saw Cameron refusing to intervene, he figured that Allison and Cameron probably planned this. After all, he did tell Cameron to discuss with Allison the best way to approach Perry.

Allison pulled a package underneath the table. It was a plastic container with a removable lid. She popped the lid off and revealed the brown looking mush to Perry and stuck a spoon inside.

"Dinner. Eat." Allison demanded.

Perry refused. He folded his arms and kept his eyes on the one that claimed to be Allison, refusing to budge one bit.

Allison explained, "Thanks to the machines, we're able to grow plants and even keep livestock to feed the children on this base. This disgusting mush is actually decent food with a balance of protein, vitamins, and nutrients. It doesn't have any drugs in it if that's what you're wondering."

Cameron replied, "I'll eat it."

Allison turned to Cameron, faking confusion. She conceded to Cameron's request, "Okay, help yourself."

Perry finally shifted his eyes towards Cameron when he saw in all astonishment that the machine was eating the food! The confusion between which was real and which was human confused him even more.

Allison continued, "John Connor decided to take advice of this reprogrammed machine originally created to kill me and infiltrate the resistance. Yeah, this creepy machine created by Skynet can eat, cry, experience sensation... she was even designed to have sexual..."

Perry slammed his fist on the table, "...Shut up!...What do you want?!"

Perry didn't believe what Allison was saying. He just couldn't, but he paid attention to every word that came out of her mouth. Cameron seemed to ignore Allison's comments. She continued to blankly stare at Perry while she shoved more slop inside of her mouth. John, on the other hand, was nearly as surprised as Perry when she heard Allison.

The girl continued, "Yeah, so you're probably thinking that John Connor is some kind of twisted perv. Yeah! You're damn right he's a perv!"

John looked at Cameron and then back at Allison. Cameron shifted her eyes for one second in John's direction. Even though Allison couldn't see him, Cameron sure could thanks to the special design of her optical sensors. He whispered to Cameron, "I don't like this."

Allison concluded, "And because of that, you're now at the mercy of this machine! And you know what the really sick thing is? This machine told me that it wasn't going to torture you. All it would do is talk to you until you joined our side."

Perry felt almost amused as he was confused. What could Allison or Cameron possibly say or do that would convince him to even accept them? Perry thought they just wanted information. Why on earth would they ever think he would join John Connor's side?

"So you're probably thinking, why the hell do we want you to join our side? Don't we just want information? Nope. Well, let's explain. The truth is, we're not Skynet. We're just a base taken over by another faction that happens to be on your side as well. You can call them a cyborg resistance."

Perry just stared at her in confusion. Had Allison just gone nuts? Cyborg resistance? That's like saying wise fool or legal murder.

"But you're probably not going to believe us for a while. We simply have to show you until you believe, because we need you on our side. You're already thinking you'll never join us, but that's the thing with humans. They always change their minds...and when you put pressure on all the right places, you can find a way to make them...tick. Humans always have a weakness that allows us to control them. And sadly, we're pressed for time right now, so we'll need to apply that pressure if you don't join us. So what do you say General?"

Perry mouthed out, "Never."

He still believed Allison was working for Skynet.

Allison smiled slightly and turned to Cameron to ask her a question, "So, what did you say the General's wife's name was?"

Cameron blankly reported, "Lynette Perry."

Perry gasped, proving that Cameron's information was correct.

Allison continued to analyze Perry's facial reactions. She pressed on, "What did you say her location was?"

The cyborg paused before answering, "San Francisco."

"What will you do to Perry's wife if he refused to cooperate?"

"A termination order will be required."

Perry's clothes soaked in sweat as he tried to control his fear and his rage.

Allison asked Cameron, "Anyway...you're the machine designated to replace me. Who will replace Perry if he refuses to cooperate?"

Suddenly, the metal door's locks unlatched and screeched open. A dark figure entered the room slowly and revealed itself from the shadows. The man, dressed in military uniform, approached Cameron and Allison's direction, scaring the living hell out of General Perry.

Allison asked, "What's your name?"

It answered in Perry's voice, "General Perry, reporting for duty."

John looked in awe, "That's got be Weaver!"

Perry wrung the chains clamped to his feet trying to get away from his seat. The machine looked exactly like him! Including the scar on his cheek! He struggled, "Let me go! Let me kill that freaking thing! You sick bastards!"

Allison stood up from her chair and stated, "Maybe we are bastards, but John has no qualms about killing and replacing you with this machine. If it will help him win, he'll do it! He'll kill your family if he feels like it! You know what this machine [Allison pointed at Cameron] told me. It said that if John had to choose between me and the machine, he'd pick the machine. This machine told me that John Connor killed a man when he was 16 years old to protect his mother. Well guess what happened when his mother asked him to choose between herself and the machine. I'm pretty sure you can figure out who won that battle."

John could hardly believe what he was seeing and hearing and neither could Perry. John could hardly believe the John Connor Allison was describing to Perry.

Allison concluded, "John is a sick man. Even the machine believes that John is risking himself being attached to it! But don't think for one minute that he won't kill everyone close to you if it means winning this war."

When John heard those words, he wondered whether Allison really believed he was a sick man. He also wondered if he was still better than Skynet if he truly wanted to do all the things Allison said he would. Those words were powerful, but they had to be false. He felt like a monster, but the truth was, he was only bluffing. He would never illegitimately kill a man to win a war. When he pointed the gun at his mother and uncle, he did it to defend Cameron, not because he felt like it.

Perry interrupted his thoughts with another scream, "NO! YOU CAN'T! That's wrong! That's sick! What are you?!"

An enraged Allison got up close in Perry's face and spitted out, "That's what you should have thought of when you decided to kidnap my family and hold them for ransom!"

Cameron interfered, "You have one hour to make your decision."

Cameron and Allison immediately got up and exited the interrogation chamber. Cameron noticed that John was no longer viewing the interrogation in the other room. She figured that John had somewhere else to be, though she didn't know where that was.

* * *

"We need to talk to Kyle and Derek. They'll have to get used to you hanging around."

"If we go meet them, people will see us together. They will freak." Cameron answered.

"Yeah, they'll freak. You sure John signed off on this? You know, us walking together?"

In order to get to Derek, Cameron and Allison had no choice but to walk through the main hall. It was essentially the city centre for the base and everyone would see them.

"Yes, the rumors are spreading. They must know the truth."

As soon as they reached the main hall, Allison sped up quickly, wanting to go through quickly and boldly so she could get it over with.

Allison told herself, _"The people have to know. You can do this."_

Cameron increased her speed to match Allison's pace. Allison grasped her gun even tighter than usual as she pushed forward. While walking through the masses, nothing happened. All seemed well until a woman screamed, "AHHHHHHH"

All eyes quickly turned on Allison and Cameron. Allison's face remained stone cold, but she kept walking...Cameron on the other hand didn't really care too much about the attention they were getting. She casually scanned her surroundings for threats, realizing that staring didn't count as a threat.

There was so much silence, Allison could hear herself breathing rapidly. Suddenly, a shot suddenly rang out...Cameron dropped to the dirt, with Allison underneath her.

"Whose shooting at you?" Allison screamed.

"One of Derek's men."

"Why are the machines just standing there? Tell them to do something!"

The gunfire ensued forcing Cameron to drag Allison behind a truck. She quickly explained, "It goes against their programming. All of Derek's men are considered friendly, they cannot engage them in attack."

"Why are they doing this? Don't they already know you're a friendly machine?"

"I don't know...I'm not the one they want."

"What are you talking about?"

"They weren't shooting at me."

* * *

John lied down in his bed, completely restless. He needed to get some sleep, but he couldn't close his eyes. All he could think of was the approaching army coming in, ready to attack. Suddenly, his radio squealed, "John, this is Savannah! Where are you?! There's chaos in the main hall! Something is shooting at Allison and Cameron. I can see them now! They're hiding behind a truck."

Adrenaline flowed through his veins as John jerked up and grabbed his radio, "Are the machines doing anything?!"

"No! They're just watching! John Henry can't get them to engage!"

John thought, " _No, that means they're one of ours!_ "

He screamed into his radio, "Listen, have John Henry order the machines to get all the surrounding people locked away in their bunkers. They should do it without question. I'm coming right now!"

* * *

 _So, let's just get it straight, whoever is shooting at Allison is her would-be murderer, there's no question about that._

 _And for the first time in this story, we actually see Cameron demonstrate a little bit of emotion. It's another huge stepping stone for her character. More and more of Cameron's back story and character development will be shown in upcoming chapters._

 _Also notice that John makes his first minor attempt to get closer to Derek and Kyle, though it seems that they're still a far ways away from bonding._

 _Next chapter will definitely have all the big reveals including John's encounter with the Mexican resistance. Chapter 19 will slow us down a bit, but will be pivotal to the continuation of this story.  
_

 _Thank you for reading_ : )


	19. A Connor's Return

Chapter 19

 _Enjoy the chapter!_

* * *

But Savannah couldn't just wait for John. The young woman could see the two doubles in trouble and she could not pretend to be the damsel in distress. Her friends were getting shot up by a random soldier and she wasn't about to sit there and let them get hurt. John didn't always have to be the hero, he didn't always have to be the savior.

She noticed Allison just gave up her rifle to Cameron. The cyborg accepted it an took a peak at her attempted killer. Cameron was about to take a shot at the soldier. Unless she was willing to witness Cameron's face shredded with lead, she had to do something to stop the shooter. As more and more people tore themselves away from the chaos, the shooter miraculously stopped firing, but only for a second. The uniformed soldier, who Savannah noticed was wearing a black mask, waited in silence for Cameron or Allison to reveal themselves.

Allison, unaware of what he was doing, whispered, "Maybe he's reloading."

Cameron analyzed the sound and crouched down, "No, he's waiting for us to come out."

Savannah saw this opportunity to distract him, "Hey asshole! Over here!"

The soldier snapped his head in Savannah's direction. He took aim and pulled the trigger. Savannah cringed, hardening herself to take the bullet. She heard a shot and then a blast, and then she felt herself getting knocked violently to ground. There was a warm body on top of her. One of her eyes peaked open to see what was on top of her. When she opened her other eye, she realized her nose was just inches away from Sgt. Kyle Reese's.

"Kyle?" She whispered dreamily.

In a matter of seconds she snapped back in reality, "Kyle?! How did you? Oh my goodness, are you hurt?! Did he hit you? Let me see!"

She quickly shoved Kyle off of her so she could examine him. She grabbed his head, examining him for bruises. She quickly glanced at his back. Kyle stunned her when she saw a graze on his coat.

She screamed in a breathy relief, "It's a graze! It didn't touch your skin."

A dazed Kyle, still recovering from his near death experience, moaned, "Oh? Well, lucky me."

Savannah turned to notice the soldier who fired at her shriek in agony as he grabbed hold of his wrist with his free hand. She saw the female cyborg approach him quickly with her weapon drawn and ready to fire. She figured Cameron had probably shot the gun away from him while he was distracted in order to get to him. The angry soldier, in turn, got up and raced towards Cameron, shouting at the top of his lungs, hoping to rip the terminator apart with his bear hands.

Cameron swerved closer, grabbed his hand and wrenched it to the left until the soldier collapsed to the ground in brutal pain.

* * *

John raced through the ever flowing crowd of people moving in the opposite direction, directly away from the chaos. He dodged one person to the next as he maneuvered his plasma rifle into firing position. He felt the determination flow through him in and out. He was ready to find the threat and kill it. When he got there, he noticed Savannah tending to a fallen Kyle and Allison hiding behind the truck, seeing if it was safe yet to come out. Finally, he saw Cameron holding the shooter at bay.

 _Thank you Cameron. Phew!_

He shouted, "Savannah, are you okay? Kyle?!"

Savannah assured him, "He's fine...just a graze. Didn't even touch his skin."

He approached Savannah and shouted, "What happened?"

Savannah answered, "I saved Cameron."

John rubbed his head in frustration, "Why's his jacket grazed?"

Neither answered, so John concluded, "You distracted that guy didn't you? Why the hell would you do something like that?! You could have gotten yourself killed!"

John pointed at Kyle, "You could have gotten him killed! Don't you remember he's my...?!"

John quickly held his tongue, not wanting to reveal to Kyle what his relationship was to him. At least not yet. Thankfully, Kyle didn't notice his near slip.

From hearing John's rebuke, Savannah didn't feel like a hero anymore. The jolly happy go lucky woman with the most brilliant smile on the military base was nowhere to be seen. She felt like an ordinary girl who happens to have reddish blond hair.

She frowned, "What's your problem? I thought you'd be happy I saved her."

John objected, "Don't bring her into this. She's got metal under her skin, what's your excuse?"

She griped, "Look John, you don't always have to be the hero."

"Is that what you think this is about? Me being a hero?"

"Yeah John, that's what it's always been about. John Connor, leader of the resistance...John Connor savior of humanity, John Connor this and John Connor that."

John remembered Savannah as a big ray of sunshine on a rainy day. He always knew that no matter what argument he had with Derek, Cameron, Weaver, John Henry, or Allison, he could rely on her to make him feel better. But not today. Savannah seemed to have some kind of problem with him that he never knew about.

 _What did mom tell her? I guess mom told her I would become the leader of the resistance. Maybe that's what she'd been pressing into Savannah since she was a little girl. Does she...maybe feel a bit jealous? Perhaps an inward feeling of inadequacy?_

* * *

Just behind John, Allison ran towards Cameron with a pair of rusty shackles. She handed them to Cameron, "Here, use this to restrain him."

Cameron curtly accepted them and bound the aggressor hand and foot.

* * *

John was at a loss for words so Savannah told him, "John, that was my choice. You can't decide what I do with my life or when I put it at risk. And despite what aunt Sarah told you, your and my future aren't so clear cut as you think. We always have a choice of what we do or who we become."

John didn't feel he had the endurance for Savannah's lectures.

He asserted, "You don't have a choice right now. Not anymore. Please, you can't do that...anything like that ever again."

Savannah warned, "I can't promise you that."

John tried to put his foot down on her rebelliousness, "Last I checked, you weren't the one in charge."

Savannah retorted, "Last I checked, Ziera corporation and all its assets belong to me! I'm the future heir...I'm Savannah Weaver. Legally, this base is my property which means I should be setting the rules. Do you think you can stop me John? Do you think you can turn John Henry against me? No, not a chance. You're not as powerful as you think. You still have no rank. You have no authority. The people only respect you because of one machine!"

 _Weaver of John Henry?_

Only a few minutes ago John was worried sick about Savannah, and now he built up a deep resentment. He didn't understand why she was getting so defensive. What she was saying was really mean.

"Listen Savannah, I don't know what you're getting at. Yeah, I have no rank...'cause I don't want to be a leader. I want a normal life! Why would you ever think I'd try to turn John Henry against you?!"

Savannah snorted, "Well, I don't know. Only you'd think of something like that."

Things were getting bad...and John was about to make it worse.

He lashed out in frustration, "Oh really? Last I checked, you're last name was Weaver!"

It only took half a second for Savannah to realize that John had just compared her to the murderous T-1001 that claimed to be her mother for years. She turned away from John in complete disgust. John marched away in Cameron's direction, not wanting to look at her anymore.

* * *

Allison questioned an approaching John, "What's up with you two? Sibling rivalry?"

He muttered, "Something like that. What did this guy do?"

Cameron informed, "At 12:43 PM, the assailant loaded this armor piercing magazine into a standard issue AR-15. At 12:44 PM, he opened fire, targeting Allison Young, presumably for termination."

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

Allison inwardly mocked John's concern for his cyborg companion.

"And you?"

When Allison realized that John was talking to her she choked out, "Good. I'm good."

John crouched down next to the soldier and pulled off his mask to reveal his face. When John saw his face, he heard someone gasp in panic. Allison nearly fell to the ground in shock and fear. Under the mask was a young man, with fair skin and black hair. His features were shapely and his face was covered in a little bit of grime and stubble.

Cameron turned to face Allison. The unmasked soldier exclaimed in a deep voice, "Nice to see you again Ally."

John shouted, "Wait? You know her? Allison? You know him? How?"

Seeing that Allison was too lost in shock to reply John grabbed the soldier by his collar, "Who the hell are you? Why were you shooting at them?"

The soldier smirked, angering him even more. John threw him on his side, dropped his weight onto him, and clamped down on his neck. John felt the anger and rage flow through his veins like it was natural. He just couldn't stop his jaws from gnashing down on his own teeth. The man struggled for breath as John tried to coax more information out of him. He started to suffocating.

He heard a soft voice in his head asking him, "Stop."

But John wouldn't heed the voice, not while he was unleashing his fury on this man.

There it was again, sounding a bit more serious, "Please, stop."

He tried to ignore it once more.

Finally, the voice inside his head shouted demandingly, "John! Stop!"

John released his grip and the man sucked in as much air as he could. John craned his neck sideways to notice Cameron's hands were on his shoulder, ready to tear him away from the man. John didn't expect that Cameron would do that. When he looked behind Cameron, he realized Allison was gone.

* * *

Kyle and Savannah stood up in front of each other just after the ordeal with John.

Kyle knew what was on her mind, "Savannah, don't let him get to you. You and John, you're going to fix this between you two...aren't you?"

Savannah blew it off, "No...it's nothing."

Kyle grasped her shoulders and spoke with a serious undertone, "Oh, it's something."

She replied, "What can I say? We had an argument."

"What did he mean when he called you a Weaver?"

Savannah shouted, "It means nothing...okay!"

Kyle wouldn't let Savannah startle him, "He's like your brother isn't he?"

"Yeah, I guess."

Kyle placed his right hand on Savannah's cheek, "Then you have to make it right with him. If you want that smile to come back anytime soon, you have to make it right with him or it's going to bother you for a very long time."

She admitted, "That's...that's actually really good advice."

Kyle smiled, "It comes from experience...lots of experience...too much experience."

Savannah grinned, "Okay! I get it!"

She gave Kyle a kiss on his cheek and reached in for a long meaningful hug.

Kyle whispered, "Thanks for calling me. I'm happy you did that."

"I'm happy too...thanks for saving me...I know you could've gotten hurt."

"No problem, just do me one favor though."

She smiled, "What's that?"

"Not a word of this to Derek...his bullets hurt way more."

* * *

John inquired, "Where's Allison?"

Cameron replied, "She left."

Realizing he wasn't going to get anymore information from Cameron he replied, "Do you think I should go after her?"

Cameron recommended, "It's best you avoid her. Her emotional state is fragile at this point and you may harm her more if you pursue her."

 _Harm her?_

John's radio suddenly spoke in John Henry's voice, "Mr. Connor, all resistance members are in position. Should I call Ms. Weaver?"

He picked up his radio and replied, "No, that's okay, you don't have to. How long 'till the Mexicans reach the frontlines?"

"54 minutes"

John rubbed the sweat off his brow, "Okay, um, Cameron, get the machines back here. Have John Henry change the machines' programming so this doesn't happen again."

"That will take a long time, we have 2000 units which adds to a total of..."

John interrupted..."Well, have him adjust their orders so they can override when necessary. Please don't ask me how, I'm sure the AI can figure it out. We'll deal with this psychopath later."

John tried to control his resentment as he dared another stare at the silent perpetrator with a mysterious connection to Allison.

Cameron grabbed the man, ready to drag him and throw him in a cell when John stopped her, "Oh, and Cameron?"

"Yes John?"

"Promise me, not a word of this Derek...really, I mean none of it."

"Your fear Derek's repercussions?"

"No, I don't care one bit about Derek."

"What then?"

John gulped, "Allison."

"Oh, I see, I promise."

The captured soldier watched in awe and repugnance, the conversation John was having with Allison's robot twin. It was just revolting to watch.

John warned, "Cameron, you'll have to hurry. We have to be at the frontlines when the Mexicans close in. Get rid of him."

"I'm on it."

Just before Cameron motioned to leave John added, "Sorry Cameron, one more thing."

"Yes?"

He smiled, "Thanks."

Cameron smiled, knowing exactly what John was talking about.

* * *

Jason, fully uniformed from head to toe, dropped by Derek, who was busy adjusting his military vest inside of his bunker.

Derek casually stole a glance at Jason, "Hey, what are you doing here?"

"The boss sent us and most of our faction back here to defend the base. I came here to check on you. How's that leg?"

He sighed, "It's still attached."

Jason answered, "Good, 'cause there's another reason I came."

"Why am I not surprised." He joked.

"Listen..."

Derek interrupted, "...Wait...take of that gas mask. It's freaking me out."

He paused in annoyance before releasing the mask from his face.

Jason continued, "I hear some of your men aren't going to participate in the defense against the Mexican offensive."

He explained, "Yeah, because my men hardly know what they're fighting for anymore. Some are even hoping the Mexicans will win so they can liberate us from Connor."

Jason folded his arms, "And what do you think?"

Derek picked up one of his guns and loaded a magazine into it, "What do I think? I think a lot of people hate me right now and I've put Allison and Kyle in danger because of it. I don't have a choice...I have to fight them...and as long as Perry's alive, I can't risk him getting out of our cells and hunting my family down."

"Good, you have your justification."

"Is that what you wanted to talk to me about? My reasons for fighting?"

"No...it's something else...for the men who are willing to get up and fight with you, I would like them to wear our uniforms."

"Yours...? With the gas masks and everything? You've got be kidding me! You know the last time Skynet used chemical weapons? They haven't...yet you still wear those things. My men have too much pride to dress up in those cute outfits."

Jason persisted, "Ever wonder what it's like to be a terminator?"

"What's that got to do with uniforms? And why would I ever think like that?"

Jason handed Derek his helmet, "Put it on."

Derek hesitated, but Jason insisted, "Take it!"

Derek grabbed the helmet and put it on the top of his head. He slowly pushed it down until his face entered the tight headwear.

He murmured, "I don't see anything."

Suddenly, an electronic screen flashed, surprising Derek so that he stumbled back.

"What the hell is this?"

An audio version of Jason's voice answered, "This is what a terminator sees when it identifies threats. It's similar to their head up display, which makes them efficient killing machines."

Derek turned his head to stare at Jason through the eyes of the helmet, "This thing...it's scanning you."

He smirked, "Your damn right it is. Right now, that advanced piece of headwear your pretty little head is wearing is assessing whether I'm human or a possible threat to you."

 **Subject: Human Male**

 **Height: 5' 10"**

 **Armament: Colt Model 1911 (Will not penetrate body armor)**

 **Cyborg Resistance Uniform: DO NOT ENGAGE**

Derek finally knew what it was like to have a terminator's HUD in combat. It gave him an invincible feeling.

Jason declared, "Break their pride Derek. This uniform is lighter, more tactile, and better protectively than the crap your men wear. This helmet includes heightened audio sensitivity and encoded communication which will make them better machine killers than what any ordinary human in the resistance is capable of doing."

Derek contested, "It won't be easy."

"Well, just make up a bunch of bullshit about blending in with the rest of us. All you need to do is get them to wear it. That way we can better coordinate them with our units."

"I'll see what I can do."

"Good...I've always thought you'd look good in black."

The two men smirked.

* * *

Derek and Jason heard footsteps near the entrance. They listened in silence.

A girl called out, "Derek? I need to talk to you...please."

The Lieutenant pulled off Jason's mask, "What is it?"

As soon as Allison walked in, she saw Derek standing close to an HCR soldier.

She apologized, "Sorry, I didn't know..."

Her eyes immediately laid upon a familiar face. His hair seemed a bit grayer and his face appeared slightly grizzled, but it was a face she knew.

Derek nonchalantly replied, "That's okay. Hey Allison, you know where Kyle is? I saw him leave the bunker, but he didn't explain why."

However, Allison didn't answer, because she wasn't paying any attention to Derek. She stood back in shock, "Uncle...uncle Jay?"

Jason cheerily replied, "Nice to see you again Ally."

She confusedly responded, "Again?"

Derek explained, "Yeah, Jason says you two had a family reunion a short while ago."

Jason told Derek, "Yeah, when we saved Kyle...she was there."

Derek laughed, "No...you're screwing with em. Allison was in the hospital when..."

Suddenly Derek's face dropped into that of surprise. He and Allison realized that Jason might have met Allison's cyborg twin Cameron.

In an emotional panic Allison screamed, "What are you doing here? How are you alive? Why are you dressed in that...?"

A few tears slid down Allison's cheeks, "I thought you were dead! Derek! You lied about him too?!"

Jason and Derek watched her in confusion.

Derek defended himself, "Lie? No, I just...you were hurt so I didn't tell you he was back!"

Jason tried to diffuse the situation, "But we met already! It's okay now!"

Derek explained, "No! That's Connor's machine...built to look like Allison."

He exclaimed, "What? Machine? What the hell? But how would? What about her...she's a machine too?"

Derek raised his hands up in innocence, "I have no idea how the metal exists, but it does! This is why I hate Connor so much...he's a pervert! This here...this is the real Allison right here."

Jason rubbed his head in disbelief, "The bastard!" Jason thought how sickening it was that he hugged a machine pretending to be Allison.

After nearly getting killed and having just experienced a crazy emotional reunion with two people she thought were dead, Allison blurted out, "Derek! Uncle Jay! He's alive! I saw him! Steven!"

Jason pressed her for answers, "What? No you can't...You mean...him?!"

"He tried to kill me! You lied to me Derek! You told me he was gone...that he'd never hurt me again!" She sobbed.

Jason ran over to comfort Allison...Derek just stood there in utter confusion and disbelief. One of Derek's soldiers walked by the entrance and witnessed the strange ordeal.

He delivered his message to Derek without concern, "Sir, Connor wants you. He says it's important."

* * *

 **A few minutes before Allison encountered Jason and Derek...**

John and Cameron entered Perry's cell. What they witnessed was a distraught man, dressed in a dirty prisoners jumpsuit, sitting dejectedly on his cot. John knew he had won the battle of wills between Perry. Perry would not risk his family's security to oppose John, knowing that there was a machine somewhere out there that looked like him.

"The guards said you wanted to see me."

Perry answered, "You win."

John turned his head to meet Cameron's eyes and whispered in her ear, "Just in the nick of time."

"On one condition." The older man added.

John inquired, "And what's that."

"Get rid of that machine that looks like me. Just destroy it."

John replied, "As of right now, there is no machine existing that looks like you."

John was so glad to hear that Skynet had not seen the need to develop T-1000 models yet. He figured it was because Skynet was still winning with T-888s, so there was no need to improve their current model.

Perry finally asked the question John was waiting to here for a long time now, "What do you want from me?"

"You'll see."

John motioned for the guards, "Locate Lt. Reese and tell him to come immediately, it's really important. Get the General cleaned up and give him back his clothes. You all have ten minutes. We need to move...now!"

* * *

John grumbled, "Remind me again why we're up here and they're down there?"

"You're a teenager who is not yet a legal adult and I'm a machine. It is unlikely the Mexican army will take General Perry or Derek seriously if we are there with them. It is a great benefit that an experienced General is on our side. He is better suited to protect us and this base."

"Yeah, I know...I just don't like it...being up here. Not very heroic...even though I know I don't have to be one."

Cameron didn't answer, knowing it would be pointless to convince him of anything on the matter.

John changed the subject with a smile, "You know, Derek would have hated to admit it, but I think he kind of came around with you before he died."

Cameron replied, "The opposite could be said for Perry."

"What do you mean?"

"He was your most loyal supporter in regards to reprogramming the machines in my future, but in this future, he is against you."

John acknowledged her comment in interest, "Hm."

* * *

John and Cameron continued to watch as the army approached in formation. Standing on a cliff, it still looked like a huge swarm. It was like a bunch of tiny little ants marching in disciplined formation. Even though they were a mile away, John saw the thousands of men and felt slightly intimidated.

 _5000 men are a lot more frightening up close._

The Mexicans wore matching military uniforms, and they seemed far more orderly than the raucous ill disciplined men Derek dealt with on his base. John tried to secure himself in the knowledge that standing behind him were his determined terminators and his faithful humans ready to fight for his cause. As usual, the machines stood in front of the human soldiers, ready to engage upon Cameron/John Henry's command.

Far ahead of John and Cameron was Derek, Kyle, Perry, and Jason awaiting the Mexican approach. He noticed that Derek had chosen a higher vantage point to give his side the strategic advantage of higher field in case anything went terribly wrong. Accompanied with Derek's crew was a small security detail of soldiers. They held up a white flag indicating they wanted to negotiate with the Mexicans.

John whispered to himself, "I hope this works."

While observing the incoming waves waves of Mexicans afar off kicking up dirt from afar off, John glanced to the left and spotted a large boulder with an even top only a few feet away from him. Finding it comfortable to sit on, he walked over to it and sat down to wait in anticipation. Cameron spotted his movement, and after careful consideration, joined him.

As soon as she sat down on the rock next to him John asked, "You've seen Savannah recently?"

"Kyle might know."

"So you haven't?"

"No."

Suddenly, their conversation broke out in a long and awkward silence. John continued to observe the approaching army while he continued to think.

Cameron finally broke the silence, "I heard it."

"Heard what?"

"Your conversation with Savannah."

"Oh, so you know we were ripping each other's hair out?"

"No, Savannah did not like some things you said."

"No she did not." He sighed.

"You should apologize."

John exhaled again, "Yeah, I know...I will."

John found this a good opportunity to ask Cameron something else, "You say that Perry was a big supporter of reprogramming the machines. What about Savannah? Was she ever around in your future?"

"No."

"Do you think...that maybe in your future, she didn't survive in your timeline?"

"It is possible."

John could hardly think of a future timeline without Savannah to brighten everything up. John wondered how Savannah maintained such a happy attitude despite all the terrible things that happened to her and to this world.

"What about you Cameron?"

"Me?"

"Weaver told me there was to come a point where I'd send Kyle, Derek, and future you back in time...once I melted old you away. Do I still have to do that now? I mean, I was more than thirty years old when I sent the first Derek and Kyle back...so maybe I don't have to send you or Derek anymore?"

She theorized, "The timeline has been altered far too significantly to preserve the timeline. It is likely that you and I exist from a non existent universes because Kyle Reese never went back in time to be with your mother Sarah Connor and you never sent me back in time. You no longer need to send me. I can stay here with you if you want me to."

An anxious John laughed in relief, "Of course I want you to stay! That's good to know though...because I don't know if I could send you back. I don't think I could do it without you."

The cyborg knew it would be useless to argue against John's affection for her.

She explained, "Future you wanted to send me back in time, but you always reconsidered. You became attached to me after the death of Allison Young so I stayed."

John felt unsure whether he wanted to hear more about future John's relationship with Cameron. He always feared he'd become the man Cameron described. He tried to assure himself that the timeline was changed and that he could be a better person in the future. Nevertheless, it still made him feel uncomfortable when Cameron talked about him.

Cameron paused again before explaining another subject that once crossed John's mind, "I killed him."

John complained, "You're going to have to be more specific than that."

"Captain Jason Cameron."

John misunderstood what she was saying. A relaxed Jason was right there having a fairly happy conversation with Kyle in the distance as they waited on the Mexicans to arrive. What did she mean by killing him unless...she was talking about another future.

"You mean in your future?"

"Yes."

"What? How?"

"When I infiltrated the resistance, I was still unaware of my nature."

"How's that possible though? I mean, didn't you realize there was no need for you to eat, sleep, or any of the other stuff humans like to do?"

"Skynet is capable of making me believe I needed to do those things."

"So you thought you were Allison Young?"

"Yes."

"So what's the cyborg resistance Captain got to do with it?"

"In my future, he was Derek and Kyle's best friend just like he is now. Allison Young loved him very much...I loved him very much, almost as much as I loved John Connor."

John's heart skipped a beat hearing Cameron say she loved him. The first time he heard it, Cameron was desperately begging for her life after she went bad. The second time she told him was on a telephone in Riley Dawson's voice. This time she was saying it under the assumed identity of Allison Young.

Subconsciously, John's mind told himself, " _I don't think it counts, but I'll take it_."

"You mean, you thought you loved me...because you were Allison Young?"

"Yes, I thought I knew Jason Cameron as well, but it was false information implanted into my memory files so that I would believe it was real...that I was Allison."

John inquired, "So, at some point...Skynet would reactivate your memory and instruct you to kill me?"

"Yes, but it never happened."

"Why?"

"I don't know."

"So what happened between you and the Captain?"

"One day, Lt. Derek Reese under future John's request, sent me on a mission to scout out possible Skynet activity two miles northeast of Century City. He sent Jason Cameron with me to gather intelligence. When we got there, machines came out of nowhere and they started firing at us. Somehow, we entered Skynet territory. Jason, an excellent marksman, destroyed three of guarding machines with three shots. But there was one left...

[Flashback Sequence]

 _Allison and Jason crouched down behind a pile of crushed metal, inside a junkyard. It was dark, cold, and cloudy, but that was nothing more than they usually handled._

 _"Did you get them all?"_

 _Jason replied, "Yeah Ally, I think I got them. Come on, let's go. Derek's never gonna believe this."_

 _Allison smiled, "Oh yeah, that was awesome!"_

 _As soon as Jason and Allison made their way out, they heard the sound of a click. They both halted, and Jason protectively stood in front of Allison to figure out what was nearby._

 _Suddenly, Allison turned her head and shouted, "Behind you!"_

 _But it was too late, Allison took a bullet to her chest and dropped to the ground. Right before Jason's eyes was the grinning skull of a T-888, in all its metal glory, ready to take the final shot. Jason watched in fear at what was to come. His plasma rifle hadn't recharged yet and he was going to die. But just before the machine could pull the trigger, an angered Allison got up and reached for the machine. She grabbed the gun, head butted the metal to the ground and held its plasma rifle to its face. One blast, and the machine was gone._

 _Jason looked on in paralyzing shock at what he saw. He saw a machine, breathing heavily, in the form of a petite teenage girl. He could see it on her chest, metal gleaming through where the bullet had hit her. Jason hesitated, but not for long. She seemed so real...so human, but he knew it was a machine. The real Allison Young was missing, and this imposter was a metal killer. He drew his rifle. Allison feared for her life, she didn't understand what Jason was doing. She panicked severely and squeezed the trigger before he had the chance._

 _Blast!_

 _Jason dropped to the ground. She started to cry. She ran up to find his lifeless corpse in the wet dirt._

 _She cried, "Why did you do that? Why did you do that?!"_

 _She stood there, watching his body, crying her heart out as it started to rain. Suddenly, she saw the metal gleaming out of her chest. She touched her wound, and she felt the cold wet hyperalloy metal on her body. She turned to look back at Jason's body._

 _She saw the rain soak up his uniform. She opened up his bloodstained coat where the bullet had fractured his chest. She found a label imprinted on his uniform. It's imprint was labeled, "CAMERON". She checked his pulse. Upon realizing he was dead, she fell to her knees, not knowing what to do or where to go._

[End of Flashback]

"You can remember all that?"

Cameron reminded John, "John Henry helped me to recover some memory files, including that one."

"You inadvertently selected the last name...of the first man you killed? Strange don't you think?"

"Future John said it was the name I wanted before he wiped my memory."

[Flashback Sequence]

 _It's 1999, Cameron stood inside a school, in front of the desk of a woman in her mid thirties._

 _"For school registration you'll have to give me your identity."_

 _Cameron replied to the school administrator, "I don't understand."_

 _"What's your name honey?"_

 _"Honey? My name is not honey."_

 _The lady laughed, "Okay...okay, if it's not honey, what is it?"_

 _"Phillips."_

 _"And your first name?"_

 _The cyborg flashed a smile, "Cameron...my name is Cameron Phillips."_

[End of Flashback]

"So what happened...after Jason died I mean? What did you do? Where did you go?"

"The only place I knew where to go. John Connor's bunker. You were my only hope."

"Wait. So instead of melting you down, I saved you?"

"Yes."

John, once again, felt terribly confused. He knew that his other self in Cameron's future felt strongly attached to her, much like he was today. But John couldn't understand his future self's reason for saving Cameron. Did he do it for Cameron, or did he do it because she reminded him of a long dead Allison? He felt so guilty for not knowing. Suddenly, John remembered his discussion with Allison. Allison told him that they didn't know each other in the other timeline. John felt relieved that he willingly saved Cameron without any ulterior motive.

John switched his thoughts back to an old conversation with Savannah...

[Flashback Sequence]

 _John had just barely escaped LA Air force base thanks to Allison's betrayal. Weaver just left the cave where John and Savannah were hiding._

 _John and Savannah sat next to each other, resting by a near corner.  
_

 _"What's on your mind John? I can tell something's bothering you."_

 _"Yeah, it is."_

 _"What is it?"_

 _"The time Cameron went bad, my mom and I trapped her between two trucks. I would have pulled her chip, but I hesitated for just a moment when she begged me for her life. She said she was good now, that she ran a scan, that she was sorry, and everything was okay. She wanted me to spare her, and she cried and screamed like any human would. But when I wouldn't listen, she told me she loved me and that I loved her."_

 _"Let me guess, you wanted to believe it."_

 _John hesitated for a moment but Savannah encouraged him, "It's okay, you can tell me this stuff. No one's judging you for anything. Look at me, my best friend's an AI and my mother was a robot."_

 _John laughed, "Okay, any advice?"_

 _"Listen John, the cold hard truth of the matter is that Cameron was still trying to kill you when you trapped her. Her pleading was nothing but mimicry...she never needed to use any of that."_

 _John's smile diminished._

 _Savannah interrupted, "But wait! I'm not finished yet. Just because she did that doesn't mean that her words weren't true."_

 _John laughed her off, "You've got to be kidding me."_

 _"No, I'm not. Do you think a machine would ever tell you that you love it before it gets killed?"_

 _"No."_

 _"So how would a machine like Cameron say that unless..."_

 _"...Unless it knew I loved her..."_

 _"Yeah, that's right John, Cameron knows you love her. And when you bring her back, she'll believe it even more."_

 _"But she can't love me."_

 _"At least she knows you want it...her love, or she never would've told you that before you pulled her chip."_

 _"But still, she was trying to kill me."_

 _"John...no matter what you do, she's always going to be a machine. You can't change that part about her. You don't expect her to apologize for being a machine do you? No, of course not. So you can continually moan about that fact she's not human, or you can get over it and forgive her for what she did."_

 _"Okay...thanks."_

 _She quipped, "What are friends for? Oh, hey, we can be siblings now if you want to...I mean, we were both raised by the same mom right?"_

 _"Sure, I'll go with that."_

[End of Flashback]

John rested his head on Cameron's shoulder, "I'm still glad you're back. I can hardly believe I'm here in the future...with you."

Cameron smiled gently. Suddenly, he heard a Mexican commander halt his army with a bunch of loud Spanish screams. The Mexican official approached the white flag alongside his other military soldiers.

An excited John whispered, "They're approaching Derek and Perry, they're willing to talk!"

He closely observed the Mexican military officers approaching, but John's concentration was cut off quickly by another one of Cameron's random statements.

"Allison's birthday is tomorrow."

He turned to stare at her, "What?"

"Wait? What month is it?

"Wednesday, July 21st, 2027."

"And it's tomorrow, Thursday?!"

"Yes, I thought you should know. This Allison Young doesn't seem to recall her birthday."

"Well, we should do something."

"Her birthday is a holiday...we should get her a present."

John smiled deviously, "I don't know about me though."

"I don't understand."

"They really don't celebrate birthdays around here. Maybe you should get something for her. I've already given Allison a ton of stuff already. It'd be great if you can get Allison something unique don't you think? If you give her a gift, maybe she'll warm up to you faster."

"I wouldn't know what Allison likes."

"Really? And you pretended to be her for so long?"

Cameron sat there silently, not knowing what to say in response.

"How about you get her some clothes? Remember the doctors tore up her blue cordial jacket. She's been complaining about her her jumpsuit for ages."

"We don't have any available quality clothing that will fit her."

John grinned, "Really Cameron, you don't know where to find any apparel that's her size?"

John eyed Cameron's purple jacket and the fingerless mittens she wore.

Cameron suggested, "How about my nine millimeters? She likes guns."

John sarcastically replied, "Oh yeah, she'll definitely choose those dinky little guns over her monstrous plasma rifle."

Cameron's face turned completely flat at John's apparently not funny joke.

She replied, "You don't like my attire?"

John retorted, "I like it as much as I would if Allison wore it."

"It's my jacket."

"Come on Cameron, she'll love it. After all, I think she needs it more than you do. I mean, you feel cold when the temperature drops right?"

"Yes."

"Now imagine how she feels as a human...way worse right?"

"I can't imagine. I'm just..."

John wouldn't let her finish that sentence, "...Cameron...yeah...I know you're name. Allison doesn't really want anything. She has everything she needs...except a jacket."

Finally Cameron surrendered, "Thank you for explaining...I understand now that you like me better in a military jumpsuit."

John rubbed his face in frustration.

* * *

As soon as the Mexican commander reached Derek and his crew, he shouted out in a thick accent, "Do you surrender?"

Jason shouted, "Not a chance!"

Perry immediately turned around and scolded him, "Hush! One more word and you'll screw this up!"

Derek frowned at their bantering, but didn't say anything.

"And who are you?" The Mexican looked at Perry.

"I am Major General Justin Perry. I command all the surrounding bases including Ziera Base who is currently under the administration of Captain Perry and Lt. Reese."

Another Mexican official countered, "We have reports that you were captured and imprisoned."

Perry smiled, "I'm still here. But my question for you is why are you here?"

"We are here to liberate this base from the machines."

"Under whose orders?"

"That is classified."

"Surely your superior officer's identity cannot be held a secret. Who is he and who authorized you to enter the jurisdiction of American territory?"

"America no longer exists."

"As long as our government functions, America will always exist. Now why are you here and what makes you think we need liberation? Are you aware that this is a federal offense by moving into our territory?"

"We have the commission from the President himself that if surrounding bases request our help, we are free to enter American land."

"But you don't have any requests from anyone."

The Mexicans groaned, "Yes we do! There are more of us coming after you!"

Perry yelled, "Only I have the authorization to do any of that! Which treasonous official commissioned this stunt of yours?!"

The Mexican commander tried to calm the situation, "I'm certain there's a misunderstanding General. Obviously these claims that this mythical John Connor has overrun your base with machines is a complete fabrication. Show us your base, and we will leave immediately."

"I can't let you do that. These are top secret facilities. Only authorized personnel are allowed for security reasons."

"Then I'm afraid we cannot leave. We have spoken with other surrounding military bases. They have confirmed that Connor captured you and is using you for his own devices. Your American friends are surrounding you as we speak."

Perry grimaced, "Let me talk to your American partners, so I can have them sent to prison for this dirty collaboration."

"Collaboration? You are the one protecting John Connor! Which one is you? If you want any chance of us leaving you unharmed, you'll have to take us to Connor! We know he exists...you're own men have spoken of him! Have you compromised General? Have you decided to turn against your own kind to join Skynet?"

An angered Perry frowned deeply, "We can't let you do that."

"Yes you can, and you will. You are the commanding General, and yet you are protecting him!"

"You're making a big mistake."

"Let us talk to him, or there is no deal."

* * *

Derek shouted in his radio, "Connor...they want to talk to you. They claim other bases are surrounding us."

"But wait! If they see me then..."

"...Doesn't matter, just come down here. They know you exist."

John got up and reached his hand out to Cameron, "Will you join me?"

She grasped his hand, "Yes."

* * *

John parked his Jeep and exited with Cameron. Derek looked in alarm that he brought his pet machine with him, but thankfully, no one else seemed to recognize she was a terminator.

John shouted, "What do you want?"

The foreign soldiers mumbled to each other in astonishment of seeing a young boy approaching them. The rumors that spread throughout the bases were true after all. He heard one of the officers comment whether this was some kind of sick joke.

An offended John couldn't stand their banter anymore and he murmured, "Estoy todavía aquí!"

(Translation: I'm still here!")

John surprised everyone with his fluent Spanish, except Derek and Kyle who remembered that John was born in Mexico.

"Ahhh, so the John Connor is real, you surely are as young as they say!"

John ignored his comment and responded, "Yeah sure, like I said before, what do you want?"

The Mexican officer demanded, "Your surrender."

"Not going to happen. You may wish to speak to me, but I will only talk to to your superior. Let me speak to your commander."

"I am the commander."

"Well then, let me speak to your General."

"We have no General."

"An army with no General? Give me a break. If you don't let me talk to him, we're done here."

John felt nervous making such a tough threat, but he hid it under an emotionless mask. Even Kyle and Derek were struggling to keep their feet in their boots.

The men continued to mumble in Spanish. They seemed unsure how their General would respond to such behavior from John. Cameron darkly interrupted their bickering, "Haga su elección."

(Translation: Make your choice.)

The men stared at the American girl who spoke perfect Spanish. Even John was impressed with her. An officer immediately motioned his private to send a message to the secretive General who had not made his presence known. The messenger ran back towards the army of Mexican soldiers in hope of bringing a message to the unknown General.

After several minutes, the runner arrived with a message for John, "What's your favorite book?"

A mystified John replied, "The Wizard of Oz...but...I don't see how that's important."

The scout smiled, "You have answered correctly. She wishes to speak to you."

"She?"

The young man excitedly explained, "Yes, she claims to be your mother, General Sarah Connor."

Everyone stared at John in complete astonishment.

* * *

Savannah took a seat next to an emotionally drained Allison inside Intelligence HQ.

"Why aren't you out there watching Derek negotiate with Mexico?"

"Derek suggested I stay here and work communications...apparently I'm not emotionally stable enough." She mumbled.

"A Reese brother told you to stay here? Yeah me too, Kyle felt too worried about me. Somehow, he convinced me stay. Gosh it's hard to look into his eyes and say no sometimes. It's almost as dangerous as the way you pout at John in order to get him to do stuff for you."

Allison smirked, "Yeah."

Savannah figured, "Boy trouble?"

"Well actually, I'm also dealing with the fact that uncle Jay is still alive and works for the cyborg resistance. And also that people still look at me like I'm weird because I have a cyborg twin following John everywhere. But yeah, boy trouble is a big part of it...how'd you guess?"

"A woman's intuition I suppose...who's the guy?"

"Steve...the one that nearly killed the both of us. He's my ex."

"Oh...woah! I wish I could help you there, but my relationship with my boyfriend is great! He never tried to kill me before. In fact, he just saved my life!

Allison countered, "Oh lucky you...John and I have been somewhat friendly lately, how about you?"

Savannah frowned, "Oh really? You're playing the John card now? You know, it's so coincidental you two aren't trying to kill each other as usual. |Anyway, I'm guessing that Cameron isn't beating you out for number one girl in John's life?"

Allison declared, "Mark my words. John is mine...no cyborg is going to beat me."

Savannah smirked, "Yeah, you keep telling yourself that."

Savannah humored her again, "You know, I would say that you're more beautiful than any other girl I've met and that any man would die to have you...but you're not...because everyone's afraid of you and Cameron looks exactly like you."

Allison folded her arms and whined, "Shut up."

* * *

In that final scene, Savannah and Allison are kind of joking around. They're not really having a serious discussion because they probably talked about those things already.

Also, John is not upset with Savannah for saving Cameron. In fact, he's okay with that. What he's really upset about is that Savannah risked her life and Kyle's in order to do it. John views Cameron as his own responsibility and he doesn't want anyone else to make sacrifices to protect her from any danger because it makes him feel guilty.

Also keep in mind that Cameron alters her demeanor into a significantly more robotic one so the public doesn't freak out from her human-like behavior.

I truly believe Cameron wanted to kill John at the end of season 1. Getting pancaked between two trucks doesn't normally change a machine's mind so I certainly believe she was lying. If you will remember, her termination override didn't happen until season 2 when John reactivated her and he asked her to promise not to kill him. I think that was the point when Cameron decided she wasn't going to kill him.


	20. Cold Blooded

Chapter 20

Sorry, it's been like one and half weeks since my last update. I try to post every week, but stuff always gets in the way. I hope you like this chapter, because I'll settle for nothing less. : )

I've gone over the chapter several times to correct any discrepancies. If you find any major mistakes, feel free to comment so I can fix them. It's really hard to edit 9000 words without missing something, so please be patient with me.

Since this chapter is another big milestone, I've decided that Chapter 21 will be my very Jameron chapter...so keep reading if you want more.

* * *

Allison went outside and sat on an ammunition's box in front of her bunker. She started cleaning her rifle.

Savannah popped her head from a corner, "Hi Allison."

"Hey."

She quipped, "Cleaning that piece of junk?"

Allison retorted, "Ha funny...considering your best friend John Henry is made of the same material!"

She wittily mocked, "Yeah, so stupid of me right? It's not like that same piece of metal material is going to one day turn into a robot, come into your life, copy your face, and steal away the man of your dreams. Totally and utterly ludicrous am I right?"

Allison's smile turned upside down, "Blondes are dumb...red heads too."

Savannah tried to trap her, "John's technically blonde too. You think he's dumb?"

"He's not as blonde as Kyle."

"Kyle is John's father. Which do you prefer, the creation or the creator?"

"I'd prefer the one that isn't trying to knock up every hooker he meets."

Savannah wouldn't be deterred by her petty insults, "When Kyle and I tie the not one day, your future mother in law will be that same hooker if you marry John."

"Wow...this just got complicated...and weird."

Savannah trailed off, "I hate brunettes..."

* * *

"Where is she? Where?! How did she...? Mom? She's alive...how?"

John realized he wasn't really making much sense in his excited manner. He felt the eyes behind his back burning holes right through him. After all the distrust and suspicion from Derek and Kyle, he finally found someone who could prove everything he'd been saying for a long time. John could feel it deep inside of him. The joy and the pride mixed together. He knew that Allison and Savannah doubted his mother would come back for him, but they were wrong.

The Mexican messenger anxiously explained, "Her current situation has prevented her from being with us today."

John paced back and forth. He couldn't reconcile something in his head.

 _What on earth could happen to mom that she'd not lead her army into another country?_

"Tell me what's your name?"

"Private Ricardo Torres."

John grabbed his collar, "Ricardo, what's wrong with her! Tell me now! Why isn't she here?"

The Mexicans behind the courier raised their guns shouting out a bunch of threatening curse words to John. Thankfully, Ricardo quickly motioned them to hold their fire trying to ease the sudden tension. Derek could just feel his breaking point coming on.

The man wheezed, "Your mother, (cough) she is ill."

John let go of him in seriousness and whispered in Spanish, "Leucemia?"

Cameron immediately recalled telling John that Sarah died from Leukemia in the future. It was a nightmare for him to think about cancerous blood cells flowing through his mother's veins, but there was nothing he could do about it. After leaving the lighthouse, Cameron also remembered telling John that Sarah had planned to leave him because her cancer was getting worse. John didn't want to believe that his mother would do something like that, though Cameron believed it was the truth.

Unfortunately, the man shrugged and shook his head in ignorance, not knowing what kind of cancer she really had.

John snapped out of his trance-like thoughts and demanded, "Take me to her."

Before Ricardo could answer, Cameron disapproved, "No John. We shouldn't."

John complained, "What are you talking about? Don't you get it Cameron? Mom's alive! She's alive! I was right, she didn't leave me! We have to get her back."

"You have to wait."

"No, I'm not waiting for anything...!"

She silenced him with an even louder response, "...John! Stop!"

John turned to face her in surprise. He normally didn't expect such volume from her.

The cyborg gave explanation, "They're a scapegoat."

"What? Whose a scapegoat?"

"The Mexican army was used as a scapegoat."

"How? Who's using the Mexicans?"

"The surrounding resistance bases."

"Them? You think they played them?"

"Yes, they were played."

"How?"

"A proxy army."

"I'm not sure I get it yet."

"It is consistent with our intelligence reports. Allison told me that the United States military bases were contacting the Mexican military, but we didn't know the reason. It is now likely that the Mexicans were used to assess our power or weaken our defense without having to answer to the government."

"So why are you telling me this? So what? The resistance tried to us Mexico's military against us. Well, guess what? Everything turned out fine in the end. Look, mom's alive, we need to get her back!"

"There is a conspiracy working against you in all nearby resistance bases. You should let General Perry go to these resistance bases and work with him to restore your reputation and prevent future attacks from potential allies."

John looked to his left to ensure the General wasn't listening in on their conversation, "Cameron, I'd be wasting my time. Not even Perry supports me. If I let him loose, we lose our only asset and we make things worse."

"Show him. Show him and tell him everything he needs to know so that he believes you and accepts you. Holding him will not be useful to us forever."

"That's a big risk."

She countered, "Higher risk, higher reward...is that what they say?"

John gave her an uneasy smile, "Yeah...yeah they do... "

"You are anxious to see your mother, but you need to stay here. This base is under threat. You must reconcile our faction with the entire resistance."

"Okay, Okay, but what about mom?"

Private Torres interrupted their private conversation, "If you are busy, I will request the General to come. I'm sure she would be willing."

John nodded. Despite his lack of patience he reluctantly gave into Cameron's advice and conceded to stay where he was.

 _Terminators...pfffttt, always trying to be sensible..._

* * *

"Will your men return to Mexico?" John asked.

"We would much prefer to encamp here until we receive further instruction from the General. She has received your message. She will come."

John expressed his relief, "Oh okay. Well, do whatever you want. Thanks for letting me know."

John turned to Cameron, "Okay, I have to go show Perry...well, you know what. Um, you, um, do whatever it is you do when I'm not around."

Cameron affirmed, "Bye John."

John felt the need to do or say something more while he was standing in front of her, but with so many eyes around he simply smiled and walked away...nearly forgetting where he was going.

He turned back to Perry and grabbed his attention, "General, there are some things I need to show you!"

As soon as he caught Perry's attention, John raced towards him. He noticed Perry just finished conversing with another Mexican soldier while the rest of the men set up their tents.

John declared, "Okay General, It's up to you to decide whether you want to continue defending our cause after I show you everything. If you would like to return to your men or see your family after this, you are free to do so. We won't harm your family...in fact, we never planned to."

Perry eyed John strangely, as if to see if he was lying, but John did his best not to reveal anything from his emotions.

Finally, the senior military officer replied, "Show me."

* * *

"Allison! Good news. The Mexicans aren't going to attack our base."

She smiled, "That's good."

She answered, "So, did you come up with your master plan to woo John and defeat your evil cyborg enemy?"

"Yes."

"Well, let's hear it."

"First, I'm going to get John alone. I'll wait till the machine goes on patrol or whatever robots do in their spare time. I'll lure him to my bunker, telling him I need help for another one of my art projects. When he realizes that there's no art project, I'll ask him to have a seat to talk first..."

Savannah encouraged her, "Go on, go on!"

"I'll sit close to him...like really close. I'll remind him of those moments we had together...the time I told him I loved him...and then the time he said the same to me. And then, I'll slow my speech to a slurry whisper, and lose myself in his eyes. I'll slowly fiddle with the button on my suit, quickly easing his eyes into a guilty linger. My face will come closer to his. I'll tease him when I brush his nose with mine...then I'll bait him...I'll get up close and pull away gently, waiting for him to chase...to capture my lips."

Savannah fluttered her hands to cool herself down, "Whew! Wow, that gets my heart going. Maybe you should scrap art and go into storytelling instead."

Allison replied, "It's a foolproof plan. He won't resist my charms."

"You should have more faith in him. He won't necessarily crack that easy. It might feel weird for him because he has a history with Cameron and you know as well as I do that John is attached to her."

Allison quirked an eyebrow, "Anything else you want to add?"

"Hmmm...let me think. While you're trying to seduce John, the world could end, John could get second thoughts, Cameron could pop in at any random moment to crash in on your parade, or maybe you find out that John really isn't into girls at all."

"Hold up! Okay, now I know you're screwing with me...John and I nearly kissed...if it wasn't for your boyfriend Kyle Reese, I'd have done it by now!"

"Yeah...sure." She sarcastically replied."

Allison persisted, "No! It's true!"

"I know...I was there remember."

Allison folded her arms again, "Oh yeah...I remember..."

Savannah changed the subject, "How is it between you and Cameron anyway? Are you still not calling her by her name...ever?"

"She doesn't need a name, she isn't a person."

"Oh, so my goldfish can't have a name either?"

She inquired, "Goldfish? They're real? I thought Derek was just joking when he said he had a fish that looked like gold."

Savannah thought, _"They're probably extinct by now."_

"Come on Allison, you have to open yourself up to her. It's not like she chose to copy your appearance. It was Skynet."

"Well, no one chose to keep her around...except John. She's just a machine."

"What John chooses is the only choice that matters. You need to stop hating her so much. If she's just a machine, why does she bother you so much? The truth is you're mad at John for keeping your robot twin around, but you won't admit it."

She muttered, "John isn't the problem. It's that cyborg...she flashes around that fancy purple jacket and those ugly mittens with awkward finger holes in them like she's a little badass queen...I'll never like her...ever."

Savannah smiled, refusing to believe one bit of her ranting.

* * *

"What is this place?"

John walked with Perry through Ziera corp.'s basement. Perry's jaw dropped when he saw the massive supercomputer sitting in front of John Henry. At first, the General mistakenly took the figure for a human, until he saw the cord attached to the back of his cranium.

He asked, "What is that thing?"

"That's John Henry."

"John Henry?"

"I'll try to put it as simply as possible...but you have to trust me."

The General doubted, "I don't know if I can do that."

"Well, just try...a long time ago, the Skynet artificial intelligence was first developed and created by Cyberdyne Systems through the work of a computer programmer Andrew Goode. It's my belief when Cyberdyne was destroyed and Goode was killed, and his work was stolen, another entity known as Kaliba took on the project to create Skynet... The original AI which was created by Goode now belongs to us...and that is John Henry."

"What? So this actually is Skynet?! How do you even know this...why don't we know about this Goode?!"

"Hold on! No, not anymore. Some other AI became Skynet...and Goode was a nobody...a pawn, so when he was killed no one really cared about him. Anyway, there were people who knew about humanity's impending doom. There were beings that tried to prevent the bombs from nuking every major city, and there were some who prepared themselves to fight it."

"Who were these people?"

John tried to avoid contemplating on his mother's image inside his head. He couldn't afford any distractions...not yet.

"My mother Sarah Connor and FBI Agent James Ellison were aware of Skynet way before 2027."

"How is that even possible? How'd they know?"

"One thing at a time General...the people who prepared for Skynet's judgment day in 2011 are now my allies. Those allies created took Andrew Goode's work to create John Henry, an advanced artificial intelligence who controls the army of our machines and coordinates the human soldiers."

John cut off Perry's stammering.

"Now before you tell me it's all Skynet...no it isn't...because Skynet wants to kill me...this machine...has been taught a moral code."

"Ha! You trust a machine with a moral code? And what makes you think Skynet wants you dead?"

"Well, for starters, I'm using the very thing Skynet created against it, terminators!"

"How do I know you all aren't working for Skynet? How do I know that your pet cyborg with Allison Young's face isn't manipulating you right now into believing all that?"

John argued, "I know she is manipulating me sometimes, but that's what makes me a better person and a better leader."

Perry shook his head, "I can't believe this."

John continued, "All the machines are designed and programmed in depot 37. It's an old factory here in Los Angeles. John Henry, show him."

John Henry immediately ceased his current activity and diverted his attention to his map survey of post-judgment day.

While locating depot 37, John Henry commented, "Hello General how are you?"

Perry struggled to find the right words.

* * *

Cameron approached Kyle and Derek walking back towards their base. They appeared to be tagging along a small company of soldiers returning home as well. Cameron turned up her audio sensitivity to catch the last part of their conversation. She heard them discuss how John's mother, a lone woman, would suddenly become leader of a Mexican resistance. Something wasn't adding up. Derek believed that either this Sarah Connor was an impostor, or John was telling them a fabricated story. Neither Derek or Kyle seemed surprised though that John would lie to them.

As soon as Cameron caught their view, Derek shouted, "Get out of here metal!"

"No."

"Alright then...maybe you need some persuasion!" Derek searched for his handgun, but Kyle stopped him.

Cameron answered, "I need your help."

"I'm not helping you on anything."

Kyle interrupted, "Wait Derek, let's hear what she wants to say."

" It, Kyle! 'It!' "

Cameron answered, "It's for John's sake."

"Like I care about his sake, just go! I don't even want to see you here ever again. Why don't you go melt yourself down and unburden the world with one less piece of metal trash?"

"It's Allison's birthday tomorrow, you should celebrate her birthday."

"What? How would you...?"

Cameron wasn't exactly ready to tell them she came from another timeline at met and interviewed Allison a few years ago in her future-past. John didn't think Derek or Kyle were ready to hear him talk about time travel. Unfortunately, the Reese brothers still didn't like John nor would they trust him.

Seeing Derek's uncooperative behavior, Cameron added as she walked away, "I would be careful though, she doesn't seem to like you right now."

Kyle questioned, "Like us? Why not?"

Derek murmured, "Not you, she's talking about me."

Kyle sighed, "Oh you mean the dead man walking, Steven."

"Yep."

"I can't believe it...how would that thing know her birthday...? Allison swore to me she didn't have one! She doesn't remember and she doesn't have a birth certificate."

"Well, all I know is I don't trust that thing."

"Derek, if she's right, we have to get her something. I know that no one remembers birthdays anymore, but it is Allison we're talking about."

"Alright, Alright...maybe if you can keep your thoughts off the blondie and more on what to get her, maybe we'd be more productive in ideas."

Kyle answered, "I'm pretty sure Savannah is a red head."

"What's it with you and her anyway? You two really an item."

"I don't know? Jealous?"

"No, not really."

Kyle lost himself in thought, "She just seems so lively, so bright. I think her colorful hair represents her colorful personality. She's like...like...a breath of fresh air on a dreary morning."

Derek rolled his eyes at Kyle's poetic speech, "You know, I think she's more blonde than she is red."

Kyle shook himself out of his own trance and countered, "Yeah, but that's on the outside...most of her head is red underneath."

Derek smirked.

"What's so funny?"

"You know, you sound so much like Connor when you talk. It's something about you...as if you were related somehow."

Kyle just shrugged, "I don't know...but I'm pretty sure arguing over the color of someone's hair isn't going to help us figure out what to get Allison."

* * *

The artificial intelligence examined the General, "You seem dehydrated. You should drink some more water to sustain sufficient hydration."

Perry burst into sweat. He could feel the droplets run down the side of his face, hearing the smiling robot speak to him.

John Henry opened the right map coordinates, "Here it is."

The largest screen flashed a topographical view of Depot 37.

John asked, "What's its status?"

John Henry briefed him, "There is currently no defense for Depot 37. The resources and shipments from foreign countries have been sufficient enough to produce an undisclosed number of units everyday at our completely operational factory. Skynet's units can close in at any given time."

John explained to Perry, "Don't you see General? We and John Henry are fighting against other machines! Unless you think Skynet fights against itself, one of us is not the bad guy...and correct me if I'm wrong, the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"But that thing is an AI isn't it? That's playing with fire! You're probably way in over your head kid. If you know what's good for you, you will destroy that thing and give yourself up."

John Henry's smile flattened.

John persisted, "Come on General! We don't have much time. Your resistance buddies on the other side are fighting a war they can't win...they're fighting against me! You have no idea how hard I've been trying to keep you and your men alive, but you make it harder everyday every time your men do stir up trouble!"

Perry stood silently, "Why are worried about it getting harder? Aren't you always in complete control?"

"No, and neither is Derek or Allison or any human I know of."

"What are you saying? Who controls your resistance?"

"I only control the half of this resistance."

"And the other?!"

"I'll tell you that later...and despite what you think, this resistance is far larger than you think. I'm only showing you what's on Derek's base...but you've never seen our actual base."

"What actual base?"

"We're losing track here. Please just tell me General Perry, will you join us?

Perry kept his mouth closed

John pushed him for an answer, "Well...what do you say?"

Perry groaned in reluctance, "Even if I did help you, and I'm not saying I will, what could I do?"

"Well, you're still an active General aren't you? How about telling everyone to stop shooting at me?! I mean, it's not like you have to hug me and welcome me in open arms, I'm saying you should just tell them to leave me alone...for now. I can eventually stop them from thinking I'm a gray...all I have to do is show them who Skynet really is...and it's not me."

"I still don't know...do the Reese's know about this John Henry?"

"They know about it, but only recently. I only told Savannah and Allison a long while before because they are closest to me. I kept everyone else in the dark because I knew they'd be against me from the start. I push their consciences every day when they work with me, but I need them to believe in what I'm doing. You know Derek and Kyle were on your side the entire time I was here, that was, until you accused them of treason and threatened Allison. Hopefully, we can put that behind us because your approval will go a long way in helping me."

Perry's indecisively placed his hands on his hips. John saw this as a perfect opportunity to talk more about himself...hoping that he could show the General that he was a legitimate person.

"You know it was never my intention to take over this base, but if Allison hadn't betrayed me and basically sentenced me to death, I could have gained everyone's trust. I would've gotten the chance to prove myself to all of you...but I lost that chance the moment everything went to hell. To some, I'm number one on a kill list, but to others, I'm indispensable, so I can't afford to get killed. Listen to me General, more people are going to be in danger if they fight against me...and there's hardly more I can do about it. You have to help me stop it. Go, leave...tell your men you escaped or whatever, just convince them to stop trying to kill me! Please."

Perry didn't budge just yet, "Where does your mother in fit into this?"

John smiled, knowing he must have convinced Perry to join him, "She's in a whole different league than you are General. And I only know as much about her as you do!"

"So that sick interrogation you gave me...that machine, it was all a hoax? A lie to get me to help you? You're not some creepy pervert Ms. Young has been telling me you were?"

"Pretty much...but now I want you as an ally, not an asset."

"So I can leave...right now?"

"If you want to. I'm done...I've told you everything you need to know. I've already told you I'm not Skynet...and I am pleading for your help. Go ahead, take a Jeep to get out of here, contact your men, or do whatever, I don't care. You have a choice to make, and a rather important one too. I need to go back and defend the depot, I would more than appreciate it if we aren't given more trouble when that happens."

"You trust me? Even after everything I did to get you killed...? Even when I went after Young or Reese?"

"Yeah, I do. I just hope that in doing so, I'm not making a big mistake and jeopardizing the war against the machines."

Perry retorted, "Yeah...me too."

* * *

As soon as Perry left, John's radio buzzed, "John, is that you?"

John picked up his radio, "Cameron?"

She joked, "Metal doesn't sound so sexy."

John laughed, "Oh, Allison, hey what's up?"

"Come to my bunker, I need advice on an...art project."

"I'm guessing "art project" is code for something else?"

"You bet. See you then..."

As soon as John arrived, Allison opened the door before he could knock. She invited him in and asked him to have a seat. Allison joined him, violating every single rule about personal space that was possible. John didn't really seem to notice though...he'd been in "tighter" situations before. Allison started to fiddle with the buttons on her jumpsuit.

John got nervous and gulped, "Um, Allison...uh, you wanted to talk about some...something?"

Allison whispered, "Yes I do."

The human girl brought her face close to John's.

John backed away slightly, "Uh, you sure you're okay? I mean, Savannah told me about Steve and..."

 _Allison murmured inside her head, "Buzzkill..."_

Allison pulled away from John and folded her arms, "What about him?"

"I was hoping that you and I could be alone so we could talk about him. You really should tell me who he is. I mean, yeah, I'm sure you heard my mom's still alive...and Skynet is trying to take away our depot, in which case I could really use your help, but enough about me...just tell me about him."

"No, John, I really can't."

"Allison, no one's going to look at you any different if you tell me the truth."

A tear rolled down Allison's cheek, "You wouldn't understand."

"Please."

"No!"

John grew frustrated, "Fine...you don't want to tell me? Then he will!"

John got up and opened the door. Surprisingly, he walked right into Cameron. John withheld his mouth so as to not alarm Allison. He pulled Cameron's right arm and walked away with Cameron, leaving the bunker's entrance. Thankfully, the terminator complied with John without question.

John frantically whispered, "What are you doing here?!"

"I heard Allison crying. I wanted to see if she was in distress."

John grumbled, "Yeah, well let's not give her anymore distress."

Cameron kept her blank stare while facing John. He detected Cameron's questioning silence.

"Look, it's nothing...she invited me...to talk about um, an art project and then I brought up...Steve...the guy who shot at you two. She's too ashamed to talk to me about it."

Cameron explained, "She is suffering emotional pain, possibly from a past traumatic event. You shouldn't push her too hard."

"Me pushing her too hard? Well Cameron, I just don't know what to do or how much patience I should have with her. It's so weird seeing your blank face scream, shout, cry, panic, and all the other stuff humans do when I look at her."

"She isn't me."

"Yeah, I know."

"I will talk to her."

He questioned her motives, "Don't you think avoiding her is the best idea? That's what you always advise me to do."

"We can't avoid her forever. No matter what, she will become emotional if we bring up certain subjects. This must be dealt with now."

"So you think her cyborg lookalike is the best option then for such a conversation?"

"No." Cameron quickly broke away from John's grip.

"Cameron?! What are you...where are you going?"

She deadpanned, "Allison Young's bunker."

John stood their stunned, confused, and frustrated as she walked away from him.

* * *

[Flashback Sequence]

 _A little toddler with brown hair and chubby cheeks sat on the fluffy carpet of her living room floor. She tried, unsuccessfully, to stack several colorful toy blocks on top of each other when her mom walked in._

 _She opened her arms to the little girl, "Oh, there's my little girl."_

 _As soon as the little girl's mother picked her up, she kissed her on her head. A man, presumably the toddler's father, walked in with a bright smile._

 _He laughed, "Hey, save some of her for me."_

 _The man ran towards her and the mother handed the girl to the dad. The father shared a quick kiss with his wife and commented, "So, you're off to LA now?"_

 _"Yes, wish me luck."_

 _"Don't worry Claire, you'll be fine...you look great."_

 _The mother Claire examined her red dress more closely, "You sure it's not too revealing? I don't want the company's CEO to get any ideas."_

 _"Nonsense, you worry way too much. Getting this opportunity is a dream come true for us. We just might be able to get this little girl through college when she grows up."_

 _The mother turned to look at her beautiful daughter, "Isn't that right my little girl? Maybe one day you'll be a ballerina like your mother."_

 _The father chimed in, "Or an artist like your daddy."_

 _(Doorbell rings)_

 _The father looked at his watch, "Oh, that must be the babysitter...oh my, look at the time, I got to get to work."_

 _He handed his daughter back to Claire._

 _"I'll see you later. I love you Claire...I love you too Allison."_

 _He smiled and dashed out of the house._

[End of Flashback]

Allison sat on her bed, totally lost in that daydream when the door suddenly opened. She knew that no one could possibly figure out the password to enter...unless it was her arch nemesis.

From Allison's perspective, it was the fire breathing Cameronosaurus Rex...the most fearsome of dragons.

She grunted, "Get out. You shouldn't be here."

"John has confirmed you are experiencing anxiety. His thoughts on your condition worry him and stress him. It must end."

"And now you're making everyone's distress worse, go away."

"I can't do that."

"So what do you want me to do...start liking you...?"

"No, Steven is causing you emotional pain. I don't remember a Steven in previous timelines."

"What do you know about emotional pain?"

"I know enough."

"You mean from John?"

"Yes."

Allison huffed, "Does the whole world know about Steve now?! Just leave me alone."

"Do you want me to kill Steven?"

"What the...what? No! Why the hell would you think that I want that?"

"He is bothering you, I can eliminate the source of your discomfort."

"The world doesn't work that way."

"It doesn't?"

"Who am I kidding, you're a terminator. Your CPU is nothing more than a glorified calculator."

 _Beat that Savannah!_

"And humans are nothing more than animated meat and bones."

"What did you just say?"

"If you will not talk about Steve, I will kill him. John is worried about your health. This is the solution."

Allison knew that Cameron was baiting her to say something. Cameron was obviously trying to coax her to admit what she was hiding deep down about her encounter with the mysterious Steven. Knowing that Kyle, Derek, and Steven wouldn't talk about it, Cameron knew her best chance was Allison.

But Allison was smarter than that. She didn't like getting fooled that easily. She answered, "Now hold on...you say your job is to protect John...not obsess over his thoughts and worries! Why would you care about John's thoughts at all?"

"I just do."

"Really? So you chose to do so?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It keeps him healthy."

"And how's John's health."

"It is good."

"So why do you do it if he is healthy enough?"

"I don't know."

"So you admit that you randomly choose to do things without knowing the reason for it? I certainly doubt that. Are you glitching up?"

Cameron remained silent, getting trapped by Allison's constant grilling of questions.

She continued to mock the cyborg, "You know John had a fight with Savannah and he must be pretty distressed about that, how about you go ahead and kill her too? And why didn't you kill John Henry when John was frustrated with him? Oh, and while you're at it, why don't you kill me? I must be giving him a lot of trouble right now."

Allison slowly crumbled Cameron's words to pieces. She awaited a response from the defeated cyborg.

Finally, the machine replied, "Because...I care about you and John."

Allison stammered in complete distaste, "Care? You can't care...what kind of manipulation is this?!"

Cameron fought back, "You admittedly doubt that I do things without a reason for it. This is my reason."

"No, you're trying to control us...to make us think that you're a friend when you're really here to destroy us. To make us submit to Skynet."

Cameron tossed her own plasma rifle to Allison. The human barely caught it before it hit her face.

Cameron answered, "If you think I'm lying...if you think that I'm here to destroy you and this base, then kill me."

Allison shouted, "Why would you do something so stupid?"

"Because I know you won't shoot me...because you believe I'm on your side."

Allison titled her head down to view Cameron's sleek metallic plasma rifle. It was a beautiful piece of weaponry and far superior to her own. She gripped it, trying to come to terms with killing John's favorite cyborg...but she knew she couldn't, not anymore.

She tossed it back to Cameron, "You made your point...now please, leave me alone."

Cameron refused once again, "No, not until you tell me about Steven. I promise I won't tell anyone, even John."

Allison's eyes started to water, "I can't..."

"Yes you can...you can do anything, tell me."

"I..."

"If you want your pain to go away, you must talk about it."

She sniffed, "We...we...met a few...years ago in (sniff) 2024."

* * *

Perry arrived at San Francisco's base by nightfall. He exited his Jeep and approached the fortified gates that wrapped the military base. Before he could get an inch closer a young soldier shouted, "STOP!"

A bright blinding light blasted into Perry's eyesight, obstructing him from seeing a thing.

The soldier, who stood on top of the watchtower questioned him with a gun aimed at his chest, "Who are you?!"

"Your damn General you idiot!"

The soldier laughed, "No you're not...the damn fool was captured ages ago. Who are you?!"

A corporal ran next to the watchtower soldier, "You called Private?"

"I think it's a machine or a gray or something? It claims it's our General."

When the corporal turned to watch the General's face cringing at the bright light, the Corporal scolded, "Oh my gosh! Open the gates! You idiot that's General Perry!"

* * *

Allison finished her long story, "And that's what happened."

A patient Cameron, having finished her emotional roller coaster ride of a story, proceeded to remove her purple jacket.

Allison questioned, "Uh, what are you doing? I just told you something I swore I'd never tell a soul and now you're stripping off your clothes?"

"You're safe."

"Safe?"

"The Derek I knew said I don't have one."

"One what?"

"A soul."

Allison looked down at her own feet to consider her statement and answered, "So what are you doing?"

She held the jacket towards Allison, "I'm giving you my jacket."

"Huh? Why?!"

"It is midnight, July 22nd. Happy 19th birthday Allison."

"What? How...how...I'm 19?"

"Yes."

"I'm 19?! I thought I was like...16 or 17 or something! I'm a woman?!"

"Yes, you are."

"To...today's my birthday? I was born on Jul...in July?"

"Yes, in Palmdale, California."

"You...you know...I can't believe it...your...my other self remembered?"

"It appears so."

Allison reduced herself to tears once again, "I never knew I was nineteen...and I never had a birthday before."

The cyborg commented, "That makes two of us."

"I can't take your jacket."

"I will come closer."

"No, I mean I can't accept your jacket."

Cameron tilted her head, "Your old jacket was destroyed after I saved your life, don't you want another one?"

"That's the thing...I do want another one, but not from you."

"Why?"

"Because you don't owe me anything."

"I'm not giving this to you as a debt, but as a friendly gesture."

"You don't owe me any any friendly gestures either."

"I don't understand."

"Do I have to explain it to you?"

"Yes."

She huffed once more, "Look, I feel guilty because you saved my life...and now you're giving up your jacket for me. It's just wrong."

"I can give it to John, and then he can give it to you. Will you not feel guilty then?"

"Uh, it doesn't work that way."

"Why won't you accept my gift...it's your birthday? John told me you don't have many things. You deserve it."

"Listen Cameron, I've always been jealous of you!"

"Oh...thank you for..."

Allison cut her off, "...Because you have the body armor of a tank, you can just about get away with anything, and you have someone so special, that you don't even realize how much he cares for you! I want that! But I can't have it! I can't have him...because you're here!"

Cameron realized, "You're talking about John. Is that why you hate me so much?"

"I don't hate you...I never hated you...I hate John for choosing a freaking cyborg over me!"

"I can take care of John."

"But not all ways! I know I'm better for him."

"I know."

"But he doesn't believe that."

Cameron replied, "And I'm only four years old."

"What?"

* * *

"General! How did you escape?!" The Colonel asked with amazement that their superior officer had returned to them from the clutches of Skynet. Everyone thought he was a hero.

"I didn't...he let me out."

The men's jaws stayed agape, "But why? Was he hoping you'd lead him to us?"

"Nonsense, he knows we're here already."

"How?"

"I told him."

"General?! Are you mad?!"

"No, I'm not. I came here to warn you...don't attack Connor's base."

"Now I know you're crazy! Just like you ordered us, we've been planning this attack without you on Connor for months!"

Perry argued, "Even if I wanted to, we couldn't. He has more men...more machines, somewhere. He gave me his source...the place where he's been creating more machines than we can handle."

"Sir, there are Skynet complexes everywhere creating machines."

"I know, but Depot 37 is where Connor creates his own machines. He created his own programming code and inserted it into them."

"But...why? What twisted plan is he scheming?"

"He isn't scheming. His depot is under imminent attack. We need to stay clear. He's going to fight Skynet."

"Impossible, Skynet doesn't fight..."

"...against itself? Yes Colonel, I'm aware. Send a message to Lieutenant Colonel Reese and let him know all of us are staying out of it."

"We can't let you do that General, you've been manipulated by Skynet. You're letting Skynet get to you. Don't you see those machines at the depot will be used against us?!"

Perry sneered, "Why don't you tell that to the Mexicans!"

"I...I don't know what you're talking about."

"Really? That's funny, because I swear I heard Lieutenant Colonel Luis of the Mexican Resistance singing like a bird when he told us that he communicated with this military base specifically before they marched into US territory."

"A testimony from some random Mexican officer? That isn't solid evidence!"

Perry actually did have proof, thanks to John Henry's help, but he didn't think mentioning the AI was a great idea.

"No, but what I do have proof of is that the Mexicans are pretty ticked off because they know you set them up. Despite what you think, they never attacked Connor's base. And let's just say they've made it pretty clear that unless I resume command, they'll compromise the safety of this base!"

"You're bluffing."

"We'll see...but I am the General who was appointed by the president himself. Unless you would like oppose this country's government I trust you'll get back in line Colonel! You screwed with the Mexicans when you led them into this trap! Now, you answer to me."

Perry pointed his finger at a resistance member who caught his eye, "You, Private!"

The random soldier timidly replied, "Y...Y...Yes sir?"

"Get me some food! I'm starving!"

* * *

John found Savannah's bunker. He knocked on the door and Savannah opened it. When the two saw each other, Savannah opened in a wide, emotionally driven smile.

John blurted out, "Savannah, I'm sorry for..."

Immediately, Savannah tackled John for a tight hug, "No words necessary John, I forgive you. I'm sorry what I said to you, I was just a bit upset."

He commented, "I never had a hug like this in a very long time."

"I like hugs. Hugs and laughter are often times the the best medicine in this dreary world."

"I agree...you know, when I come to think of it, since I came to this future, no one's hugged me before."

"Really? But what about Cameron and Allison?"

"I hugged them...but they never hugged me."

At the back of John's mind, he also realized that Allison, Cameron, and Derek, the three people he cared for deeply, had tried to kill him at one point or another. Savannah and Kyle were the only few who never laid a hand on him.

 _Maybe Savannah is my kind of woman? Then again, she's half of a red head and half blonde...reminds me too much of Riley._

John erased such random thoughts and asked her, "I just wanted to ask you for a bit of help. My minds been in a daze lately since all our units are moving to the depot and I just realized my mother's still alive, though I can't see her yet. On top of that, Allison and I got into another fight, and it's her birthday...not to mention you're dating my father...and I can't figure out any other way to get closer to him. My head feels like it's ready to explode."

"Yeah, it must be a lot for you to handle right now."

No, I mean you're squeezing me to tight..."

She laughed, "You can never stop joking can you?"

..."No seriously, I can't breathe."

* * *

Cameron entered John's bunker, in search of John. She had finished patrolling the perimeter and, after a discussion with John Henry, wanted to give him updates on what was happening at the depot.

Before she opened the door, her sensors picked up on a suspicious noise coming from inside. She pulled out her gun hidden behind her back and kicked open the door. She found Derek quickly drawing and training his gun on a bullseye between her own eyes. Derek hesitated seeing Allison's face giving the cyborg a chance to approach him and grab his gun. Derek strained to hold onto it as Cameron slowly wrenched it away from the larger man. Derek squeezed off a shot, knocking Cameron's face sideways. Cameron caught hold of Derek's beretta. She recalibrated her neck and turned back to face Derek.

The Lieutenant watched in horror at the long metal scraping across the right side of her face. Cameron kept her eyes on Derek as she crushed his gun with one of her hands and dropped it to the ground.

She deadpanned, "You shouldn't be here. I could have killed you."

He groaned, staring at his favorite gun, "Metal bitch."

Cameron slammed Derek onto the nearest wall and brought her face lose to his, "I could kill Becky, I could kill Joan, I could kill Kyle, and I could kill Allison...the only people in this world who you love and care about. I could give up this war to Skynet in a matter of seconds if I wanted to."

Derek screamed, "Then why don't you?"

"Because I don't want to. If you ever come here again, there will be consequences."

Those words shook Derek to his core. A machine that didn't want to do something? How as that possible? You can't program a machine to want something can you? Who was she...what was she? It made Derek hate Cameron all the more for not knowing what she was to John Connor.

"Why did you steal Allison's jumpsuit?"

"I didn't, she gave it to me...now go. John will ask about this damage to my living tissue if he sees this."

Derek marched out in complete anger that his gun was damaged. That gun was a gift. Cameron watched him until he walked out. When she knew he was gone, she examined John's bed to notice it was out of place. Derek was probably looking for clues in order to learn more about John. She proceeded to fix the bed, until she noticed a drop of blood fall on the sheets. Thankfully, due to her lack of a blood circulation system, she knew she wouldn't bleed out.

All of the sudden, you know who walked right in the door at the most convenient of times, "Hey, I just saw Derek..."

John froze when he saw the ugly bloody wound on Cameron's face.

"Who did it? Who did that?!"

Cameron felt reluctant to tell him.

John started losing his patience. His fist clenched tightly, "Damn it! Who was it Cameron?!"

Cameron finally conceded, "It was Derek."

"Why did he?! I'm going to kill him. Wait here."

John motioned to leave when Cameron pleaded, "No John...wait...Please don't."

"Cameron, I have to. If things like this happen again..."

"You can't kill him. He's your uncle."

"Hold on...you thought I was going to kill him?"

"You would have killed your mother."

"Oh Cameron, is that what you've been telling Allison this whole time? Is that way she's been looking at me like I was sick? You told her I'd be willing to kill my own family to protect you?"

John had recalled Allison saying that during Perry's interrogation, but John didn't think that Allison really believed it.

Cameron answered, "You would...wouldn't you?"

John smiled, "No, not anymore. If anything ever happened to you Cameron, I'd just send someone back in time to save you. I wouldn't kill anyone! That's not me anymore."

"Thank you for explaining."

John eyed Cameron's wound, not at all disgusted by the metal underneath. He concernedly questioned, "How's that scrape...? Let me help you clean it, I'll kill him later."

* * *

Both cyborg and human sat on the bed while John dipped an old rag in some water and wrapped the damp dirty cloth around his hand. He brought it close to Cameron and gently wiped off the blood on her cheek.

"I take it you gave Allison your jacket. I can see your new jumpsuit fits you perfectly."

"Yes."

"Did she like it?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know? How do you not know?"

"Pride."

"Pride?"

"She feels that I don't owe her anything and that she does not deserve it."

"Oh, I understand. It's a human thing. Don't worry about it, deep down, she loves it."

"I wouldn't know what that feels like..."

"Yes you do, I know you really liked that jacket...you told me you enjoyed the sensation of wind flowing through your toes...ya' know...to 'get away from it all'. Remember?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Well, that's what Allison feels like when she wears your jacket."

"I think I understand."

While John continued to dab at her face, John decided to ask a question that had been itching on his mind for a while now.

He asked, "Hey, I've been meaning to ask you...what model are you anyway? I mean, you already told me why you were created and what happened in your past after that, but you never told me much about...yourself."

"John, wait."

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"My gun, it's been fired."

John scratched his head, "But your gun is right here."

Cameron quickly jumped off of John's bed and deadpanned "No, my nine millimeter...I keep one of them inside my jacket...Allison has my jacket. She's in trouble...get your rifle."

Cameron immediately grabbed her own rifle, opened the door, and stormed out of John's bunker at lightning speed. John followed close behind, watching Cameron locate the source of the sound.

She shouted, "It's inside the cell."

John and Cameron raced through the corridors and found a guard standing by an open cell door holding his gun out, pointing it at someone in the room.

John pushed him out the way, "Move! Let me see!"

He pushed his head right through the door to see a woman, wearing a purple jacket covered in blood, holding Cameron's nine millimeter. Below the woman was the body of the would be murderer named Steven.

John looked on in shock. He saw the blank, emotionless face, of Allison Young. She seemed almost unaware of what she had just done.

John's head started spinning in disbelief, "Ca...Ca...Cameron?! What did you tell her? What did you tell her to do?"

A silent cyborg just gazed at her human twin.

* * *

A silhouette of a womanly figure, stood with a cane inside an unknown dark room.

A Latino man walked in the same room and calmly whispered, "General, you shouldn't stand by the window."

The aged woman answered, "I just want to see the stars...I never looked at the stars in a long time."

"We've received clearance to go. He wants you to come to him."

The woman limped into the light to reveal her face. It was an older Sarah Connor.

"Tell me, how is my son doing Ricardo?"

The man smiled.

* * *

 _Up next, John's first real encounter with Skynet in his attempt to valiantly defend the depot. This time, Sarah Connor will have a much bigger role in the next chapter. Oh, and please note that since Terminator 3 is disregarded by TSCC, I will assume that Skynet never created the T-850. Note that in TSCC, the screenwriters avoided using the references to T-800s for legal reasons. Instead, the TV show specifically mentioned T-600s, the T-888s and the T-1001s on purpose. I haven't done much with characters Weaver, Derek, or Kyle, recently, but next chapter will hopefully fix that now that Sarah's back!  
_

 _And like I said before, Chapter 21 will be officially a Jameron chapter...in case you guys are interested in reading it._

 _Cammy P, you're probably right...I expect this story to be a bit longer than I anticipated...possibly 40 chapters rather than 30. I don't want to push the story too fast! I'm having too much fun with these characters to let them go so quickly!  
_

 _Update: Just wanted to respond to the guest reviewer who said this:_

" Phrase about John sending someone back in time to protect Cameron doesn't really make any sense. If something happens to his Cameron, he will lose her forever. Sending protectors back in time will just stop the disaster from happening in the past and create a new alternative timeline, but it will not influence on John's horrible present and will never bring Cameron back... :( "

My response:

 _Dear guest, what you're saying makes no sense. You are suggesting that there are multiple John Connors in several different realms of time where Cameron may or may not exist. That idea, I believe is wrong. I think that when the past is significantly altered, according to the Terminator universe, then the destined future is deleted. So if John sends someone back to save Cameron, she is saved...there is no question about that. Deleted timelines are well explained in Terminator: Genisys if you would consider watching it._

 _Thanks for reading though, I appreciate your comments...even the critical ones._ : )


	21. Relationships

Chapter 21

 _Thank you all for your patience : ) I hope you find the wait worth it._

* * *

John stood with Cameron in front of the one way mirror gazing through the glass. They reflectively concentrated on Allison's blank face and motionless posture as she sat there all alone inside of the interrogation room.

Allison's hands were lopsided and her entire body slumped in utter despair. Her eyes seemed so sad, tired, and out of focus and her mouth lay half an inch agape with her two front teeth barely visible. At first glance, one would have thought she was dead...but she was only dead on the inside. After experiencing a nightmare of horror, the young woman retreated into her own impassive vegetative state.

"I didn't tell Allison to kill him."

"I know you didn't."

"Why do you appear frustrated?"

John's eyes shifted towards his protector, "It's nothing...I'm guessing my uncle and my father are on their way?"

"Yes, they have been notified. They are also frustrated."

"Yeah, that sounds like them. You didn't tell Savannah though, did you?"

"No, I haven't."

John sighed, "Good, we need to keep this on the down low. Not everyone needs to know about this...she deserves that at least."

"It won't matter though."

"Why?"

Cameron turned her head to face John's, "Because the guard, he saw everything."

"Right...Well, he didn't see Allison murder him in cold blood...he only let her in."

The cyborg warned, "People will ask and rumors will spread. They saw the T-888s haul out Steven Fletcher's body."

"Fletcher? Allison told you his last name?"

"Yes, we talked."

"Oh yeah...I remember."

John almost felt jealous of Cameron that Allison was willing to open up to her cyborg twin rather than himself. Either way, John tried to ignore it, slapping it on as "girl talk" and not worthy of his attention.

The cyborg added, "The guard should not have let her in. Allison needed permission to be in the same cell as a high profile threat."

"Yeah, well. If you're Allison Young, you just about get anything you want."

The cyborg smiled, "...Almost everything."

John was about to respond until he choked up to her odd sense of humor. Cameron closely observed his awkward reaction.

John stammered, "I uh...umm...well..."

He rubbed the back of his head and changed the subject, "I don't understand what's wrong with her though...she still hasn't uttered a word."

"She is enduring a long lasting emotional distress."

"Yeah, I figure...and now I feel like I'm responsible for this somehow...that if it wasn't for me...none of this would have happened. If I had just stayed away, I wouldn't have messed up her life so much to lead to what's happening right now."

Cameron responded, "You can't blame yourself for everything."

He murmured, "That's interesting...coming from you."

The cyborg frowned, "I never blamed you for any your choices. I opposed them, but I never blamed you."

"Fine...yeah, I know...um...well, what do you make of her...Allison I mean? Do you think she did it? She won't talk to me...not to anyone. She just sits there like a rock. From the looks of it, I think Steven tried to strangle her from behind. There's no way Allison tried to kill him...she's not like that. That idiot probably went mad."

John pointed towards Allison, "Cameron, look at those throttling marks on her neck. The doctor says her injuries are relatively minor and don't need treatment. Otherwise, it looks like she got away before he could do anything to her."

Cameron agreed, "Yes, those marks are from an attempted manual strangulation."

John continued, "Maybe Steven really did catch her off guard and grabbed her from behind and started choking her. Then she got away and drew the gun in your jacket and shot him with it."

Cameron commented, "That is not an accurate assessment."

John criticized, "What...you mean it's not your jacket anymore?"

She ignored his ramblings and sought to prove John wrong, "No, let me show you."

Cameron caught John by surprise when she placed one of her hands on his chest and the other hand by his waist. John felt the handgun hidden behind his back wiggle out.

 _I guess she knew I always kept one there..._

She took John's gun and then positioned him to the middle of the room. She soon proceeded with her simulation of the events before Steven's death.

Cameron stepped a few feet away from John and spoke, "I'm Allison Young...and you are Steven Fletcher. After threatening the guard, he allows me to go through and I enter your cell room. Once I'm in, I find you are sitting down, only a few feet away from me. Our eyes meet. I have no intention of killing you...I hate you, but I'd rather to talk you."

John asked, "Then what?"

She responded, "You, Steven Fletcher, smile apologetically and approach me slowly in a non threatening manner. You distract me with small talk...simple conversation. You walk closer."

John followed her instruction and slowly walked closer to Cameron until they were in an intimate position. John looked hopelessly in Cameron's eyes.

The cyborg continued, "You wait until I look slightly away, and when you, Steven, see I'm most vulnerable, you pull me close to your body from behind."

John did as she stated. He grabbed Cameron from behind and hugged her tightly. John breathed in Cameron's scent...it was that beautiful musky scent of pollution and dirt...a pretty good scent for a place where showers were hardly available at the base.

"And you throttle my neck violently."

John's subconscious told him, " _How unromantic..._ "

He placed his hands on Cameron's neck, though he didn't shake her neck.

"I panic and elbow you in your ribcage, forcing you to let me go."

John added, "Yeah, you're right...Steven's ribs were bruised on one side."

Cameron freed herself from John's grip and pointed her gun at John's chest. "I escape and I find this gun in my jacket. I point my weapon towards you."

John smirked and raised his hands up in mock surrender. He obviously didn't take it as seriously as he was supposed to. He felt this was more playful than it was serious.

Cameron explained, "You have become a threat to my safety and those I love. You have threatened my life. I hate you...you already hurt me emotionally and you have attempted to hurt me once again. I am distressed and shocked. Without thinking anymore, I shoot you at distance."

John opened up his mind to Cameron's interpretation of the evidence, "That would explain the blood on the front of your purple jacket rather than from behind... and the lack of gunshot residue on Steven's clothes...you're right, she didn't him shoot him up close...Allison was standing in front."

"That's correct."

"Good, we solved the mystery...but the only thing is, we need to fix this so it never happens again. The guards can't feel intimidated to do their jobs, even if Allison is the one doing the intimidating. Even if Allison was allowed to enter Steven's cell, she still shouldn't have been armed."

"The guard didn't notice the weapon."

"I know, but I'm sure there are extra measures one can take to prevent weapons from getting into the prison. Perhaps patting people down?"

"That wouldn't work."

"Why not? That seems like a good idea."

"Allison doesn't seem to like the idea of random men patting her down. Specific body parts that women prefer men avoid would be the..."

"...Okay! No details necessary! How about women? Maybe we could get female guards to work with women."

"No, we don't have enough women within that line of work...unless we begin training which may take a variation of..."

John interrupted, "...Okay, any other bright ideas?"

"Terminators."

"What?"

"Machines can detect concealed weapons without touching anyone."

"Oh...I didn't even think about that...well...I guess we could do that..."

"Yes we could."

"What are we going to do with Allison though? She just killed him...isn't that, like, involuntary manslaughter?"

"No, it is a justifiable homicide. There's no need for a trial."

"I fear the people will become afraid of her again if we just let her go without one."

Cameron countered, "They'll always be afraid...even if she had a fair trial. Allison has killed before."

"Yes, but they're normally the bad guys."

"I know."

John shook his head, "You're wrong though, they'll have to come around...they already did once, they'll do it again."

Cameron didn't argue with him, "You'll have to let me talk to Allison...alone."

"Last time you talked to her, this guy got killed...now you want to talk to her again?"

She persisted, "I never told her to kill anyone."

"I know...I'm just guessing you want me to leave?"

"Yes."

"Okay...fine. Good luck...but remember, be careful...I'll see you soon."

John was about to walk out when Cameron called out, "John...wait."

He turned back expectantly.

John imagined, " _John I love you so much. I can't go on living without you!_ "

She pulled something out of her pocket, "Your gun...you forgot it."

John reached for it. "Oh yeah."

They locked eyes again. Every time they locked eyes, it was never a staring contest...at least not anymore. Every time he fell into her gaze, he couldn't think anymore. All he could process was 'Cameron' and that was it. Finally, John forced himself to break away or he feared he'd do something he might regret.

 _No John, not yet..._

* * *

Savannah raced throughout the base looking for John Connor. She found it so funny that every time she ran through the base, the T-888s would swerve their heads in her direction as if to assess whether she was a threat. Savannah thought that they would have gotten used to her by now, but they always stuck to their programming...they could never learn and grow like Cameron or John Henry. Savannah didn't like it, but understood the danger behind it as well, so she made her peace with John's decision to keep the T-888s limited in their capacity.

Thankfully, Savannah didn't seem to dwell on such things today, she just needed to find John.

 _Cameron or Allison...Cameron or Allison...he's always with one of them._

As she raced through an alleyway, to her own surprise, she saw him walking out of the prison complex in the same direction.

She shouted, "John! There you are!"

Savannah's scream nearly frightened John into a panic, "Oh! Hey."

She noticed his nervous and disheveled appearance, "Hey, what's wrong...you seem edgy."

John led Savannah away from the complex holding Allison. He prayed so hard that she wouldn't catch on. He learned the hard way that pretty women were way smarter than they looked...

 _No offense to pretty women..._

"Oh no...I'm just...I'm uh...I'm fine...just looking for...stuff."

 _Well, that's a pretty lame excuse...stuff..._

"John, you see Cameron or Allison lately?"

"Yeah...I mean...no...why?"

"Well, there's this crazy rumor that Allison shot up some prisoner in cell 4D...I figured I better give her the heads up about it."

John looked gravely into Savannah's eyes. The woman could sense his disturbed appearance.

"John, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing."

Savannah tilted her head and hear face turned solemn, "Wait...she did...she killed someone in a cell? Who was it?"

"Forget about it."

"John! Tell me."

"Steven."

"Steven?! Oh my gosh!"

John hushed her, "Hold on!"

She pressed on, "Do Kyle and Derek know about this?"

"Yes! But don't tell anyone else...you have to promise me...Steven tried to strangle her I think."

"What? I have to see her."

"No! Bad idea!"

Savannah protested, "She can't be alone...she needs to be with someone."

"She's with Cameron, okay?"

"You trust Cameron to be her friend in a time like this?"

"Well I'll have to...Allison told Cameron about him...like...everything."

"She opened up about Steve to her...Cameron?"

"Yeah...shocked me too...but please Savannah...don't tell anyone...I don't think she ever intended to hurt him."

"Where's his body?"

"It's been dealt with."

Savannah shook her head from all the darkness. She realized she'd fallen off track from such disturbing news.

"Oh my...I forgot to tell you, Perry says you're clear...you can move back into depot 37, no one will stop us...just say the word and we can get it back before Skynet has the chance"

"Okay, we'll have to wait on both Kyle and Derek because he's coming back to see Allison...when he gets back to the front lines, we can move in."

"John, we don't have much time, Skynet..."

John raised his hands up, "...I know, but we'll have to wait on it...I'm not ready to lead an army, I'm still a teenager! I need his help as well as Perry's backing."

"Okay, you're right. Hey, you know where Cameron is?"

"I told you she's..."

"...Sorry, I meant Captain Cameron?"

"Oh, no. I thought you knew."

"No, last I heard he was following up on some assignment with Weaver. Only God knows what those two have been up to. I still can't get out of my head how he can be so loyal to a...a..."

"A machine? A T-1001? Liquid metal?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, you're loyal to John Henry aren't you...and I'm loyal to Cameron aren't I?"

"I know...but...they aren't cold hearted killers with 0 % moral code."

John countered, "Well, John Henry was supposed to be the first version of Skynet if Weaver hadn't saved him and given him that moral code...did you know that?"

"Oh...well, yeah. You're mom told me. I know..."

"I'm not trying to defend Weaver, but Cameron...well...she is no angel either. Do you know how many people she killed because they were 'security threats'? I still wonder whether she truly values human life or whether she just does it so I don't cause any trouble for her. Maybe it's a bit of both...but if you keep throwing your middle finger at Weaver because she's a machine, such thoughts will eat you alive. You have to let it go...saying she's forgiven and forgiving her are two different things."

"I know John."

"Good...well, if you plan on heading back towards Weaver's base, could you ask her to contact me. We're in a hell of a lot of trouble...and ever since Cameron took over, Weaver's been pretty silent...which is kind of scaring me...a lot!"

"You got it."

* * *

Cameron walked in and took a seat in front of Allison. Allison shifted her eyes to Cameron but wouldn't utter a word.

"I cleaned your jacket...the blood is gone." The cyborg blankly stated as she folded her arms together.

Allison still didn't budge one bit so Cameron continued to speak, "John and I know that you killed him out of self defense. I won't ask you to recall those events if you don't want to."

The burdening silence didn't affect Cameron in the least so she also added "You took my advice. I know you went to Steve to...talk about your...differences. He tried to hurt you. I'm sorry...I left the glock nine millimeter hidden inside your jacket as another gift. John didn't think you would like it because your plasma rifle is better."

Seeing that all Allison wanted to do was breathe and blink, Cameron pushed even further, "I have two nine millimeters. I gave one to you. Those glocks are my favorite weapons of choice. Sarah Connor left them with my body before John reactivated me. The purple jacket I gave you was also my favorite attire, until I gave it to you. I've always considered such things to be apart of me, because they're important to me. But now, I gave them to you, because you're apart of me as well."

Allison couldn't take it all in anymore.

She burst into tears and blurted out, "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because...you feel worthless...that you have no value. But there are six people I know who think you're special...Savannah, Jason, Kyle, Derek, and John."

"And whose the sixth?"

"Me."

Allison lost herself for words. A terminator of all things cared about her? Impossible right? Allison had no idea what to think. She had no witty comeback for that...she was just too emotional. Cameron swiveled her eyes to the left and got up from her seat. She approached the door and turned around to face Allison one more time.

The cyborg confirmed, "I will leave you alone. You can leave when you are ready. Kyle and Derek are on their way. I'll be waiting."

Cameron opened the door and shut it closed, leaving Allison to her thoughts.

* * *

"Hey Connor?"

John's bright smile suddenly dimmed when he saw his face, "Oshiro?"

"Yeah that's me."

John frowned, "No offense, but I can't say it's a pleasure to see you."

The Japanese soldier answered, "None taken, I have a message for you from Intelligence HQ. There is a convoy of Mexican military vehicles approaching the area. The commander wishes to speak with you."

"About what?"

"He didn't say, but they won't talk unless you come alone."

"Well, that's peculiar."

"Off the record, I hope it's a trap and they kill you. That way we can live our lives in peace...and machine free...including that creepy Allison doll that follows you around."

John scowled, "Well, if it wasn't for her disapproval, I'd have shot you in the kneecaps by now."

He mocked, "Don't lie to me...you're as soft as a pillow! You don't have the balls."

John smiled, "Oh, so you think that those men I nearly executed was a setup?"

"Not everyone on this base is an idiot Connor."

John replied in grimacing fashion, "I see."

He turned to walk away, but Oshiro asked him one more thing, "Just one last thing...is it true? Is your mother the General of the Mexican Army?"

John smiled in conceited manner, "We'll see."

John sat alone in his Jeep making sure his coordinates were correct.

 _"Where are they? They should be here by now."_

Suddenly a truck stormed down the rocky road. John saw it coming in his direction. Before he had time to react, masked militants stormed out, pointed their guns at him, and shouted out in Spanish, "Bajar, Bajar, Bajar!"

 _Why do they want me to get down? Don't they know me?_

He answered, "Qué pasa?"

But they wouldn't answer him. They grabbed him roughly and threw him into the back of the truck.

 _Did I just walk into a trap? What the hell are they doing?_

After an hour of driving, the truck halted and the soldiers opened the back of their truck. They blindfolded John and brought him into a room and forced him into a chair.

 _Perhaps an interrogation?_

Someone pulled off John's blindfold. His eyes were fuzzy in vision, but they cleared quickly. Inside the dark room, he barely made out a woman standing by a window, with her hands hanging behind her back.

The woman slowly mumbled, "Ricardo, please leave us."

John turned is head back, "Rick?"

He briefly responded before walking out, "Hello Mr. Connor."

John turned back to the woman and asked, "Who are you? What am I doing here? Where's the General? Where's my mother?"

The woman kept her eyes outside when she answered, "It's been a while John."

John heard that voice before. His blood pressure spiked. There was only one person in the world who sounded like that. He got up from his chair and he shouted in a nearly crazed behavior, "Mom?!"

Derek slammed on the breaks and jumped out of the Jeep before the vehicle ceased going in motion.

"Derek hold on!" Kyle warned.

He raced into the prison complex and forced open the metal door. Kyle, believing that she needed some space, didn't feel so excited to see Allison just yet. He spotted Savannah off the corner of his eye like a blur. He thought she saw her run into a shelter. Kyle approached the shelter, only to realize there was no one inside of it.

Kyle scratched his head and told himself, "Either I'm head over heels in love or I'm hallucinating."

"Maybe it's both."

Kyle turned around and smiled, "So you're the one that's hiding in here."

"Well, yeah...I was...ummm, playing hide and go seek with Joan."

"Oh really, at your age? I sincerely doubt that."

"You're never too young to play hide and go seek."

"Okay, okay, fine."

"Where's Derek?"

"He's with Allison."

"So you heard?"

"Heard what?"

"Ya know, rumors about Allison."

Kyle knew what she was talking about, but wasn't really willing to admit it, "Well, you can't believe everything you hear."

"Well, yeah, I know...I hope that's all it is...just rumors. Tell her I said hi will you?"

"Sure thing."

"Oh, and how's Derek doing anyway?"

"Well, right now...pretty bad...but that's just how he usually is." Kyle joked.

"He can at least take comfort that John Connor isn't here. The Allison cyborg seems to be running the show while he's gone. I'm actually kind of surprised how well the people have been behaving around Allison and that cyborg. I guess they're just afraid. Maybe Allison can handle it, but I couldn't possibly handle every disliking me."

"Allison is strong...I know it won't last forever. Hey...um, where did Connor go?"

"I think it has something to do with the Mexicans, I don't know all the details, but I think your fellow soldier buddies might know."

"Sure...yeah...Derek's definitely going to love the sound of that."

"The sound of what?"

"Oh...never mind...some inside joke. I'll see you around Becky!"

"Maybe we'll see that pretty lady you hang with a bit more too!"

"Oh, you can count on it."

* * *

"Ally? Allison?" Derek creeked open the door, "You okay?"

Allison refused to face him.

"Kyle told me to stay away until you were ready, but I don't have the patience...anymore...I just can't wait."

Allison sat there, emotionally empty and totally frozen.

Derek continued, "Please Allison...we need you...we need your help...you're the only one who can do it. John Connor is missing...the cyborg has taken control...we need to get this damn depot before it's too late but she is stopping us. You need to take control or the people will go batshit crazy!"

Derek grabbed Allison's face with both his hands, "Look at me!"

Allison shifted her teary eyes to Derek's' serious eyes, "Allison, I don't know if it's the right thing to say, but you need to snap out of it! Self pity will get you nowhere. You're upset, I get it, but you need to get up and get us out of this before it's too late! We need you...and we need you now!"

Allison shifted her face to look into Derek's, "What do you need me to do?"

* * *

John examined his mother's body more closely. He noticed she was slim as ever...perhaps a bit more frail than she was in her mid thirties. From behind, John noticed her clothes were different. She loosely wore a woman's military uniform. He noticed her hair, it used to be black, but now its blackness was interrupted by highlights of white hair.

The woman's head turned to meet John's gaze. This time John saw it. It was a paler image than he imagined. She was older, yet looked the same. He saw the crows feet had gotten to her eyes, but John knew who she was. This really was his mother...it was Sarah Connor, the mother of destiny. There was his long lost mother...somehow, she survived judgment day.

John's jaw dropped in disbelief. Despite knowing she was alive, just to see her face was like a miracle.

* * *

Allison stood her ground against Cameron, the men behind her pulled their guns on the T-888s standing behind the female robot. It was a wild west standoff. Derek and Kyle nervously watched the event go down.

Kyle warned, "Did it ever occur to you that you might get Allison killed?!"

"I know I've been overprotective of her as of late, but I'm trusting her now...she's too smart to get killed. I knew that a for while now."

Cameron warned Allison, "Stand down."

Her human twin frowned, "Not in a million years."

She replied, "You're not in charge."

"Oh really? I'm pretty sure John said I was second in command...which basically means that when he's gone, I take over...did you really think he'd leave a terminator to lead a resistance against...terminators?"

"You can't win, finding John is most important...not reclaiming the depot. We have to find him now."

"And if we look for John and lose the depot in the process, we lose the source of our machines. Without the machines we'll be vulnerable, we won't be able to fight back anymore if that happens and we won't be able to search for John. The best way to find John is to keep the depot safe! Where the hell is your logic?"

"No, if we wait, his risk of imminent death increases. We need to act now. We can't lose him."

"John wouldn't want us to find him and right now it doesn't matter what John wants anyway because I lead the human resistance."

"And I lead the cyborg resistance."

"Well then...who do you think John will side with in this civil war?"

Cameron replied, "My side."

"That's right, I'm counting on it. He's willing to kill everyone else in this world to protect you. He'll lose his status and he no longer leads the resistance if that happens...so you have to stand down...for his own sake."

Cameron got desperate. She knew Allison was right. Siding with the cyborg resistance was the same as signing your death warrant

"You are too young, you cannot lead."

Allison sneered, "And how old is John...? Last I checked...I was older. How old are you by the way? You told me you're only four years old and you think you can lead better?!"

Becky and Joan, the two sisters watched from afar off, opposite from Kyle and Derek. They closely observed what was going on from the roof of their bunker.

Becky moaned, "Where on earth is Connor? Romulus and Remus are going at it out here!"

Her sister folded her arms, "Who?"

"You know, the two twins who fought against each other? Like, ancient Rome and stuff?"

"You're such a history geek."

"What's a geek? Do you mean Greeks?"

"Never mind, which one of them is the cyborg anyway?"

She wittily smirked, "How about the one standing with the freaky looking robots?!"

"That one isn't wearing the purple jacket."

"Duh, they changed clothing."

"That's creepy! Why'd they do that? Won't Derek freak out?"

"Who says he hasn't already."

"Ha! Funny. How can you tell the difference though?"

"Well, the way the Allison terminator speaks..."

"...Can't you just say Cameron? It's easier that way."

"Okay then...Cameron...doesn't have any emotional expressions and she walks like a horse...like she's marching or something. When they talk, Cameron is really monotonous and hardly blinks, while Allison is normally moody and fluctuating in her voice."

"Wow, that's really good profiling."

"And that's why we're still alive. I always know what's dangerous around here while you don't."

"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, for one, your crush on Derek will kill us both. I'm telling you, he's not a guy you should hang around with. That's my profile of him."

"No I don't have a crush on him! You're just jealous because he's a gorgeous hunk and he likes me more."

"No he doesn't!"

"Do you not find it at least a bit strange there's a potential civil war in our military base and we're arguing about our crushes?"

 **Meanwhile...**

Cameron announced, "You will die if you threaten me...the machines will kill you."

"No, they can't shoot at friendlies."

"They can override when facing a dangerous threat."

"Yeah, threats to friendly humans...but we're not threatening humans."

"The machines are designed to protect me. My protection is their primary mission so they will override."

"I'm not pointing the gun at you."

Cameron saw that the soldiers' guns were aimed at the machines. If Cameron had much of an imagination she would probably think, _"She really thought this through."_

The human smirked, "They're just itching to open fire on the metal and there's nothing you can do about it once I give the order."

The cyborg finally gave in, "You're better."

Allison stumbled to hear her words. The men standing behind Allison noticed her reaction hoping she'd give them the word to open fire...but she didn't.

The machine said it again, "You're better than I am."

"What?! What do you mean?"

Allison noticed that people had crowded around to watch the duel of words between herself and her robo self. It was terrifying, yet thrilling all at the same time.

The cyborg explained, "That's what you've been trying to prove...this isn't about John...it's about being better than me...about proving you're worth more."

"I...no...I..."

Cameron continued, "You are better than I am...you always have. That is why I imitated you so much...this is why Skynet chose you...because you were the perfect example of a human. Your intelligence and perception are impeccable. Your skill and technique on the battlefield is highest on average. You can understand life and emotion...you can feel better than I can. You can find love...you can have children.

Allison tried to interrupt, but Cameron cut her off, "I'm not always right and that is true. John, against all odds, values me more than he does you. He is better off with you...but he says he loves me more. I used to think that being alone was best for John...until I met you. I thought you would be good for him and I encouraged him to pursue you, but he wouldn't."

Allison looked away, unable to face the cyborg anymore. She badly wished she was lying and manipulating her, but she knew that Cameron was telling the truth.

Cameron finished, "If John were here, he would side with you. He would think that getting back the depot is more important than himself. But he is wrong. John is important to you and me...and we have to find him now before it's too late...please."

Allison paused...and then finally answered, "I think I know a way to find him..."

"How?"

Allison trailed off, "If only he could have us both somehow...but I guess that could never work..."

The terminator confirmed, "Right."

By this time, all the surrounding people listening in on the conversation backed away in all awkwardness.

* * *

Savannah strolled inside the old tech room where John Henry used to be. She shouted, "Weaver? Weaver?! Mom?'

Miraculously, a blob of metal formed into a human being. Savannah saw her mother's face turn into shape and color, yet strangely, she was not surprised to see her.

The liquid metal stated, "It's been a while."

"Yes it has been. Listen, we need to talk. John needs your help."

* * *

John stood there, totally confused and amazed at who lay before his eyes.

"Mom?"

"John?"

John hesitated again to see his much older mother shed a tear right in front of him. It was all just so surreal. He burst into sweat and swiftly scanned the room. He quickly noticed that he was in a private room, possibly his mother's sleeping quarters.

He panicked. This couldn't be his mother could it? Maybe it was a lie...a trap from Skynet. He couldn't let his guard down. So many thoughts and sensations coursed through his body, excitement, trembling, fear, and even hatred. He felt he was about to break down.

He scrambled for the gun on his supposed mother's desk before Sarah could counter his wildly erratic move.

John, shaking and distressed, shouted to his mother, "Get away...don't move!"

He drew the gun, pointing it at his mother's head.

Sarah cried and screamed coarsely, "John...it's me! Snap out of it."

John shouted, "It's a lie...it's Skynet...you're dead...there's no way...you had...you had..I...I!"

Realizing John's hesitancy, Sarah took the opportunity to convince him. She rose her hands up in the air and slowly approached him.

She whispered, "John...it's me...your mother."

"No, you're not...you...you can't be."

She walked even closer...

He shouted again, "Stop! Or I'll shoot."

Sarah tried to flash her best smile, "If you believed I was really a machine...you would have shot me already."

John backed away until he hit the wall behind him, "If you really are my mom, prove it!"

"Do you remember the video I sent you...you know, the one that helped you find her...Cameron. Didn't you like my Wizard of Oz them...you know, from your favorite book."

Finally, he knew it was true. He shook himself out of his trance and dashed towards Sarah. He collided with her, nearly knocking the woman to the ground if it wasn't for John holding her so tightly.

"I'm missed you...it's you...you're real!"

"I missed you so much."

John cried, "I can't believe you're hear! It was real...It was real you're hear...you're really...it's really you."

Sarah returned his hug. She placed her hand on his head and played with his hair. After all these years, John never forgot the different ways to comfort John.

"How...How...?"

"Sshhh John...calm down...when you're ready, we'll talk...just calm down."

 **A few hour later...**

John sat down, laying on his mother's lap. He felt like a six year old once again, yet he was not ashamed of it. His mother, who was supposed to be dead, had come back to him.

John asked, "How?"

She replied, "Rumors spread fast John. It wasn't long before I found out you finally arrived in the future."

"But you're...you're a General? How did that happen?"

"It's a long story John."

John held on to his mother's hand, "Could you give me the short version?"

"Well...I took your advice. You told me I could lead an army...I guess you were right...

"But...but how?"

"You have to understand...before you left, a lot of things happened that you will soon know about...but that can wait...at least for now."

Suddenly, John remembered what was happening back at Derek's base.

John rubbed his eyes in grief, "Oh no! Derek...he's alive...and Kyle...I mean dad...he's here!"

"I know."

"You do?"

"Yes...I knew...but I also knew I had to keep my distance. I thought it better to wait until you arrived."

John tried to think really hard, "They're um...we're trying to take back the depot. Remember when we went there...depot 37?"

"I remember, that's where Cameron said she was built."

"She told you that?"

"A long time ago."

"Oh, Cameron! I almost forgot. Savannah, Allison, and I got her back...I saw your message...in the basement of Ziera corporation."

Sarah covered her mouth, "Oh my gosh, Savannah? She's alive?!"

"You bet."

Sarah smiled in relief, "How is she? I never knew what happened to her or Ellison when I left for Mexico."

"She's doing great! We're really good friends...she and dad... are actually...ummm, never mind. Um, you...you said in the video that you found a way to stop Skynet...I guess it didn't work out with you and Ellison?"

"No, we were close...but we made a terrible mistake...like I said, it's a long story. Do you...do you think you might know where Ellison is if he's still around?"

"I thought you might know...Savannah said he went looking for you on judgment day."

"Oh no..."

"What do you mean oh no?"

"I was already there...in Mexico. He may have gotten himself killed trying to find me in the hospital."

"Oh...I'm...I'm sorry...So why did you bring me here? I mean, I'm happy to see you, but why here? Oh no...I have to get back to the base...we need to get back to the depot."

"That's what I'm here for."

"I'm sorry? I don't understand."

"Skynet isn't planning on taking the depot."

"Why not? It's there for the taking."

"It's a trap John."

"You couldn't say this over the phone? If it is a trap, I need to pull them out now! Dad's there!"

"John, you know I don't trust all those machines you have on the base...not even this John Henry or that liquid metal that I know for sure is listening in on all your conversations. I had to talk to you myself...alone."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"I'll take you back. When you get there, pull your people back...don't touch the depot...all will be explained soon, I promise."

John had finally reached a state of relaxation.

He changed the subject, "Mom...how are you holding up, I mean...your friend Ricardo told me you had...have cancer...is it true?"

"Yes John, I do."

"But how...how...?"

Sarah finished his question, "Am I still alive?"

"Something like that."

She explained, "The doctors gave me a chemotherapy drug...in the form of a pill. It worked. I still have some of them...but it makes me feel sick. It has kept me alive for awhile, but won't last forever John...I always feel so weak and helpless. I can hardly deal with it anymore."

"Maybe the medical staff at our base can help you mom."

"I don't know John."

"Well, we have to try. I refuse to believe you're leaving me when I just found you."

"We can give it a shot."

John also insisted, "You really need to explain to me how you became a General...oh man, everyone's going to be stunned when they see you!"

Suddenly, someone sharply banged on the door shouting out, "General!"

John had so much to say, so much to get off his chest, but it was all interrupted by the annoying Mexican.

Sarah replied in English, "What is it Colonel?"

"They are coming! Come quick!"

She shouted back, "Who?!"

"Connor's...I mean Lieutenant Reese's men! Our planes have picked them up. Give us the order and we can take them out now!"

Sarah grunted in determination, "Not a chance!"

John asked, "Derek? How does he know I'm here?"

His mother replied, "I don't know...just help me out of this chair...and hand me that cane."

John knew his mother was in her fifties, yet her cancer had aged her far more than she needed it to...it turned her into someone different...someone worn and tired. John didn't like to see his older mother...she was just so much more different from the dogged determination of the young version of herself. Right now, John didn't care...he loved his mother no matter what. He just had to.

John saw the bulk of his force of T-888s coming in. When the Mexicans arrived from behind, John watched as two twins approached him from afar. John and his mother stood side by side.

"You're army?" Sarah questioned.

"A good piece of it. Impressed?"

"Quite." She said.

Sarah noticed the, "Is that Cameron?!"

John nodded, "Yeah."

Sarah looked on in confusion, "What's the other one? Is that a younger version of herself? Why didn't you send her back yet?!"

"No...no, that's Allison...she's wearing Cameron's jacket...you know, the one you left her in Citrus Heights."

"You can't give her a different name! That will mess up the paradox...!"

"...Wait! There is no more paradox...I never sent anyone back...things are different now mom, the timeline's changed. That girl who looks like Cameron is her original copy...she's a human...her name is Allison Young."

"What?!"

John made an apologetic smile, "Sorry, slipped my mind that I should tell you about her. She killed her in another timeline."

"What do you mean another timeline?"

John laughed, "Long story."

As soon as Cameron had pointed John out to Allison, the twins ran faster up the hill in his direction.

Allison shouted, "John?!"

"Allison, Cameron?! How did you find me?"

The human girl joked, "Easy, the only place a boy runs to when he's scared...his mother."

Cameron explained, "John Henry's HK spotted vehicles moving toward the Mexican camp...we thought you had to be there."

John rolled his eyes at Allison's comment, "Oh, har, har, well, if you must know, my mother kidnapped me."

Allison shot back, "Wow, motherly love right there."

John frowned at Allison's snide comment, "Please shut up."

Cameron turned to Sarah, "Sarah."

Sarah folded her arms together and nodded, "Cameron?"

"You appear healthier than expected."

"You mean healthier than dead?"

Cameron affirmed her comment, "Yes."

Allison interrupted, "Well, I hope you're happy Cameron...we just gave up the depot for nothing. And now Derek seems pretty ticked off with me for it. As you can see, John was with her the entire time."

Sarah replied, "Please tell me you two twins aren't friends."

Allison frowned, "No..."

"So why are you wearing her jacket?"

"...Well, it's warm."

Allison turned to meet Sarah's gaze, "Oh, you must be John's mom...and um... Kyle's...um...how do I put this nicely...common law partner in a different timeline."

Sarah shouted, "John, what did that human twin just say?"

John gulped, "Ummm, I might have told her...but Derek and Kyle don't know anything yet...I was hoping we could team up and tell them together."

Sarah folded her arms together in disbelief. She tried to tear her eyes away from the doppelgangers.

Sarah thought, " _I think my head is about to explode!_ "

Sarah explained to everyone, "I just explained to John that the depot is a trap laid by Skynet. It was an attempt to divert his forces to attack Ziera base. It's been a while since the resistance has fought Skynet, but we're going back to war...and we're going to fight...and we'll do it together...united."

John loved to hear his mother's speech. It sounded great. But the nostalgia was getting to him. The word "united" was a diplomatic word. The truth is Sarah wanted only one thing...to destroy all machines and wipe Skynet off the face of the earth. All machines ever did to Sarah was take Kyle away from her. For a while, they even took John from her. John liked to think that his mother fought for him...but other times, she fought for herself...to rid the world of metal scum. John could never forget all her mom's bad experiences with machines. But John knew he was a different story. He only saw the good and usefulness in terminators. He believed that one could use them for something other than terminating...just like Uncle Bob and Cameron. But for now, John tried to toss those thoughts aside...he needed to stop Skynet...and he needed to stop them now, and he needed his mom's help to do it."

"So, what do we do now General?" Allison asked.

The elderly woman responded, "We go back to Reese's base...we need to contact Perry...I have a plan...we can stop Skynet for good!"

Allison replied, "I think I like the sound of that."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Finally, everyone had dispersed...Cameron and John were off somewhere...but Sarah really didn't want to know.

* * *

Sarah Connor, despite being older and weaker, took target practice against the corpse of a T-888. Allison noticed John's mom shooting at it, so she walked closer towards her.

"May I join you?"

"Please."

Allison pulled out Cameron's glock and took a shot without a second thought. The bullet plinked off the T-888's forehead.

Sarah was impressed, "Wow...just as good as Cameron."

"You know your son is in love with her...it...her."

"Yes, I know...I just don't want to think about it right now."

"I thought I could get him to get rid of her...that he would pick real flesh and blood over metal. Your son is super weird."

Sarah sighed, "Well...thanks for being up front."

"John...he's explained to me everything...about you, Cameron, Kyle, and all the different timelines and time travel and all that stuff."

"Your head's still spinning isn't it?"

"Yep...but if it's really true...that you knew another Derek and another Kyle...did you know anything about them...any secrets you can disclose?"

A light bulb came flashed in Sarah's mind.

She smirked, "When Derek gives you a hard time, just call him Thomas the entire time...he'll get pretty mad."

"Thomas? Why?" Allison quirked an eyebrow.

"You'll see."

"Alright then."

"So tell me Allison, what's your story?"

* * *

Allison had finally arrived back at base. She sat inside the Jeep, trying to keep herself together. At one moment, she was cracking jokes, and now she was getting flashbacks of Steven. It haunted her mind and she retreated back into her shell. Derek approached the vehicle and sat inside next to Allison. Thankfully, Derek had gotten over the fact that Allison had sided with Cameron to go look for John.

Derek though, " _She's never going to let go of Connor. She refused to lose."_

He commented, "Allison, I know what you're thinking...I know it's hard...but I need you...I need you right now. Every time I see you like this...I feel...I feel completely helpless."

Derek squirmed inside his mind, " _Kyle is so much better at this mushy feelings stuff_."

"Allison, please...you can't let him get to you anymore...you did what you had to do...I know it hurts, but it gets better. It always does. I don't want this to stain your conscience...it darkens people...it changes them...and not in a good way."

Allison finally turned to Derek and smiled. She placed her hand in his and squeezed tightly. She knew he was only trying to help. Derek's seriousness softened into a smile and they sat their together, staring at the sunset.

"Happy Birthday Allison...Connor may not love you...he doesn't even deserve you, but I care about you. You'll make some guy the luckiest man in the world...just wait and see."

Allison leaned her head on his shoulder, "Looks like I already have."

Derek's smile widened even more.

"You know, I'd love to end it on that note, but how's that leg?"

Derek smirked, "Oh, now you just brought that creepy cyborg in my mind...thanks a whole lot...we were having such a wonderful moment!"

Allison's face turned blank, "That's because I am that creepy cyborg."

Derek's face dropped...Allison just stared, until she cracked open in laughter.

"That's not funny! You freaked the hell out of me." The soldier shouted.

She giggled, "You should've seen the look on your face...wait till I tell Kyle..."

"No you won't...give me that rifle back...!"

"Oh no you don't!"

* * *

John and Cameron were finally alone...standing inside their living quarters in front of a window of a setting sun. John felt relieved to know that his mother was taking on some of the burden...that she had a plan. Even though his mother was keeping secrets about this plan, it felt good to know he wasn't alone...that he had people who were standing by him just like Cameron was. John shifted himself closer to Cameron and gently squeezed the cyborg's hand and turned to face her.

He said, "I just can't get over the fact that my mom's alive...everyone that died...is alive!"

"Is that why you won't go back?"

"Huh?"

"Go back to the past, where we were before."

"Trust me, there's nothing I'd like better than to stop Skynet before it can destroy the world...but everyone I love is right here with me...you survived, mom survived, and even Savannah survived. If I go back right now, I undo everything you did to bring John Henry here. I don't want to jeopardize an opportunity to stop Skynet now when it thinks that it's winning. We have to try...at least try."

"I understand. I agree."

"I'm glad...listen, thanks for saving me...I mean, finding me...and not getting upset with me for putting myself in danger like that."

"It's my mission."

"Cameron, your mission was to help me survive judgment day, that mission is completed."

"I make it my mission to protect you, always."

"Why?"

Cameron wouldn't answer.

John persisted once again, "I saw you laugh, I saw you cry, I saw you smile, and I saw you frown. Why is it that when you're with me, you hide all of it. Why are you so cold and impassive sometimes when you're with me?"

"I can't explain it."

"Try me."

"I don't think you will understand me. Sometimes...I frown when you smile."

"So you... You just don't understand it...so you hide it? Are you in some weird way a bipolar or does that happen when I'm teasing you?"

"I don't know."

"Well you know what, it doesn't matter. Savannah is right, I can't force you to be who you can't be. Sometimes, I wish you were human...but you aren't...and I can be happy with that. I wouldn't change a thing about you even if I could."

"Allison told me she couldn't pursue a relationship with you because you loved me."

"Yeah, I know."

"She knows you would rather die than lose me."

"What? I..."

"I know John. She knows it too."

"Cameron...you have to understand, my priority isn't to defeat Skynet anymore. I really want to stop Skynet...maybe even prevent judgment day might if that's possible...but right now, I just want you to be safe."

Cameron tilted her head in silence.

John assumed she was checking his vitals so he asked, "So... future me...what do you think he'd say to me right now? Pretty ticked off right?"

Cameron cleverly replied, "I don't know, are you ticked off?"

"But..."

John suddenly realized what Cameron was saying. She just said he was future John...!

 _I'm future John? I'm...She thinks I'm future John?!_

John grabbed Cameron's hips and pressed his lips to hers in a brief moment of passion. He quickly released after noticing Cameron's awkward stare into his own eyes.

He apologized, "Cameron...I'm sorry, I..."

Cameron replied, "I'm sorry too...I'm not Cameron...I'm Allison Young."

"What?!"

Cameron smiled, "I fooled you."

John's heart would have nearly beaten out of his chest if Cameron hadn't told him.

"Where in your CPU did you think that right now it would be a good time to do that to me?! You just freaked me out!"

"You said I shouldn't withhold emotions...humor is a good emotion."

John sighed, "Okay, now I think I understand why you hold them back."

"Are you going to continue?"

"Continue what?"

"Kissing me...I don't know whether I like the sensation yet."

John took her question very seriously...perhaps a bit too seriously. He looked around his bunker for any possible intruders before he grabbed Cameron's head and captured her lips in a much longer, more meaningful kiss.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading! What do you guys think?_

 _Just wanted to say that Allison's emotional problems and her history with Steven will arise again at some point, but as promised, I wanted to focus on John and Cameron a bit more for this chapter. Will bring back characters who haven' been around recently...more characters to come soon! Next chapter will also be a Jameronized one._


	22. Century Work Camp

Chapter 22

 _Please excuse any mistakes. I only recently completed this chapter and I do intend to improve it over time. Please let me know what you guys think in the reviews.  
_

* * *

 **Just a day ago...**

John had arrived at Derek's base and both Sarah and John hopped out of the truck. Before Sarah could make her first step on the ground she suddenly collapsed in agonizing pain forcing John to grab hold her.

Holding onto her tightly, he shouted, "Mom! Mom! Are you okay!"

Seeing she wasn't responding, John shouted towards the surrounding men, "Someone help her!"

Immediately a squad of Derek's soldiers approached her, picked her up, and carried her to the infirmary on a stretcher.

John watched the ordeal go down. The doctors tending to her kept John away as they tried to assess her situation. It nearly pushed John over the edge.

When Cameron had found John in the infirmary and had seen how much distress he was in, she figured it would not be helpful to tell him, _"It's okay John, we all die in the end."_

She found out the hard way that it was not an appropriate or comforting thing to say.

 **Present day...**

A soft voice exclaimed, "You can't win, you will eventually succumb to exhaustion and regress in your precision. You will eventually miss your target. I still have many decades of power left in my nuclear cells to give me the advantage."

The same voice murmured in an uncaring response, "Mmmhhhmmm..."

Cameron and Allison stood closely together in an open field less than half a mile from base. They decided that target practice was the best way to literally shoot out each other's frustration...or rather just Allison's frustration. She was still unsure whether Cameron was capable of getting irked by anything.

Far in front of the two was a lengthy wooden stand with a pyramid of rusty tin cans stacked on top of it about 250 yards away.

Cameron raised her nine millimeter and pulled the trigger. She shot at a rusty tin can, hitting her target with dead on accuracy.

Plink!

The rest of the cans stacked above tumbled down. Flashing a bit of a smile, she looked on over to Allison to catch her reaction.

Allison tilted her head and sighed, "Okay, you know I can't hit that far...you did this on purpose."

Cameron turned to look at her human twin, "You said there were no rules...I can choose any distance I want...your lack of an advanced HUD is a weakness."

Allison, looking away from the cyborg, overlooked Cameron's banter with a quick response, "Being a simple human is not always a weakness..."

She walked back to the truck and opened the vehicle's trunk. She pulled out a long heavy device covered in a green blanket. She dropped the heavy object on the ground and unwrapped it. Cameron observed the weapon lying beneath her.

 **Weapons Analysis:**

 **M20A1 Anti-tank Missile Launcher (Modified)**

 **Caliber: 3.55 in.**

 **Weight: 14.8 lbs.**

 **Range: 1000 yd (Approximate)**

With a bit of a smirk Allison announced, "Let me introduce you to my best friend...Mrs. Bazooka."

Cameron frowned, "Bazooka? I thought diamonds were a woman's best friend."

The young woman grabbed the military weapon and placed it over her shoulder. She balanced it, aimed, and pulled the trigger...

WOOSH!

... the missile launched out of the missile launcher, nearly knocking Allison to the ground. The missile made a direct hit and decimated all of the cans...and the targets beneath them. She covered her eyes from the explosion of flames while Cameron watched on unblinkingly.

Looking at the pile of debris Allison smiled, "Oh look, all the cans were knocked down! I win...how delightful!"

Cameron protested her stunt, "We were using 9 millimeters, not anti tank weapons. You destroyed our target stands in the process. We will have to build new stands."

Allison argued, "No rules remember."

The cyborg admitted, "I remember."

Seeing a dissatisfied Cameron, the Allison explained, "It's called innovation and improvisation...something most terminators don't have...it's why humans are so damn hard to kill. They don't limit themselves to programming, they always think outside the box.

Allison made an additional request, "Hey, help me put these guns away will you? It's time to go."

As Allison picked up the bazooka and carried it back to the truck, Cameron repeated a part of her comment, "You said most terminators...not all..."

Unfortunately, Allison didn't hear her statement, she was already in the truck waiting for Cameron to join her.

Allison stuck her head out the window, "Hurry up and get in!"

Cameron picked up the weapons and asked, "Why are we rushing?"

"I'm going to join the resistance."

The cyborg tilted her head in confusion, "You are apart of the resistance."

"Yeah, but not the way I've always wanted. I want to be an active soldier, I want to go out and fight Skynet...put my skills to the test and give 'em hell...and I don't want to be stuck in the reserves. Derek likes to think of me as a soldier, but I've never had the chance to be like one, until today. Now that I know I'm 19 year old, I can go register and put my name on the enlistment sheet. By the time we get there, Derek will be busy training a bunch of new recruits, so he won't be there to talk me out of it."

"Why don't you want him to talk you out it?" The cyborg inquired.

Allison uneasily replied, "Because...because I can't bear to see him when I do it...I just want to serve...it's a human thing...you wouldn't understand."

Cameron opened the door and sat inside the truck, "You fear him."

Allison swerved her head in her counterpart's direction as she started the ignition, "What? No, I don't fear Derek!"

"What then?"

Frustrated and annoyed...Allison groaned, "It's...it's...why am I explaining this to you anyway? You're just a terminator."

Cameron pressed her further, "I understand your patriotism...and I understand your determination to do more...I understand your hatred for Skynet. I don't understand your lack of fear against the machines yet you cower from a human."

Allison felt offended, "Did you just call me a coward?"

Cameron responded, "If you really want to be a soldier, you must be willing to face your greatest enemy...yourself. You are afraid of his reaction. Tell him, he deserves to know."

Allison stepped on the gas and drove onto the road.

She moaned, "Please Cameron...just change the subject...you know what, how's John's mom...um, General Connor doing...I heard about the...incident."

"She is stable, she'll be fine for now."

"Why for now?"

"She is dying."

"What?!"

"John wanted me to keep it a secret, but Sarah Connor is dying. In every timeline that we know of, Sarah Connor always dies of some form of cancer. John has trouble accepting it."

"I'm sorry...I didn't know."

"I worry more for John's sake, not mine."

Allison tried to boost Cameron's optimism, "Maybe they can find a way to help her. Not all timelines are the same right?"

Cameron kept silent for a little while before admitting, "...right."

* * *

John sat alone in the hospital room next to his mother's bedside. He held her hand and gazed at his mother's restful appearance. It was the first time in a long time he got to see her at peace amidst the darkness judgment day. Fighting Skynet seemed to take its toll on Sarah. She seemed much older than she really was. John recalled that the doctors had given her some kind of drug relief from the pain, so Sarah wasn't actually very attentive as she wanted it to be.

Sarah awoke from her induced sleep and squirmed slightly to capture John's attention.

John whispered, "Mom?"

She breathed in deeply before opening her eyes. She squinted at the light shining in her face, but she adjusted to the brightness rather quickly.

Sarah whispered, "What happened?"

He answered, "You collapsed as soon as we got out of the truck."

Sarah shifted her eyes in John's direction, "Oh, okay, now I remember."

Gazing into his mother's aged face, he asked, "This has happened before?"

Sarah breathed out, "Many times."

"It's...It's your cancer?

Sarah closed her eyes again and murmured, "We never really got to talk much did we?"

John laughed, "That can wait. I'm just glad I didn't lose you the same day I found you."

Sarah's face turned slightly sour, "John...you need to go."

He frowned, "What do you mean, I'm right where I need to be."

Sarah swallowed, trying to moisten her dry throat.

She mumbled softly, "Listen John. I know that you want to take care of me, but this is important...I was wrong...I thought I could defeat Skynet by myself, but it looks like I'll need your help after all...it will be your chance to lead...to be the man you were destined to be."

"Mom, you sound like you're about to die or something! You know I'm not ready...I just can't...I'm barely an adult yet!"

"John, there's never truly a time one is ready."

John got up out of his chair and held the back of his head, "No...no, I can't..."

Sarah pleaded, "John...please..."

He quit his back and forth pacing and gulped, "What do you need?"

"The Mexicans...they will follow you. You are to lead them on a mission."

"A mission to what?"

"Destroy Skynet once and for all...it's called...Operation Takeover...been planning it for years."

Sarah felt shortness of breath as a nurse walked in on their conversation.

The nurse exclaimed, Oh my goodness...ma'am...General, you're awake! I'm so sorry to disturb you...we have some tests to run on you."

John interrupted, "Oh, we know what she has already."

"What do you mean you know?" The nurse replied.

Sarah answered, "I have cancer...I don't have much time."

The nurse didn't know how to respond, "Oh my...I'm so sorry...that explains it. A common symptom for some types of cancer."

Realizing that General probably didn't need to hear about it, the nurse was about to apologize.

Sarah interrupted, "I'll be fine, don't worry about it. I've accepted it a long time ago."

John muttered to himself, "I haven't..."

* * *

Allison and Cameron neared the base. While they got closer, Allison couldn't help but swipe glances at Cameron. Cameron seemed like she was in a world of her own at the time, but Allison knew that she knew she was gazing at her every now and then. It appeared that Cameron was content not knowing the reason why Allison kept looking at her.

Allison thought, _"Unless...maybe it's reverse psychology?"_

The main thing that she noticed was that Cameron's face appeared smooth and healthy as ever. Not that there was anything wrong with her own skin, but Cameron never got scars.

"Cameron?"

The cyborg continued to be surprised that Allison used her first name without any remorse.

The terminator replied, "Yes?"

Turning back to face the road, Allison asked, "While you interrogated...I mean...interviewed me after...after Steven, I saw your face was kind of scratched, but I never said anything. It seems it healed faster than any other machine I've seen before. I'm just curious, how did you get that scratch?"

Not wanting to disclose the fact that Derek was snooping around John's bunker, Cameron exclaimed, "It's not important."

"Yes it is, I want to know what it was."

"Not what...who."

Allison smirked, "Well, I'd hate to see the other guy's face. John told me you defeated T-888s twice your size without getting killed."

Cameron answered, "I've fought against many variants...but if there's one entity that can kill me...it will be you."

Allison didn't expect to hear that from Cameron.

The human girl replied, "Why would you even think like that?"

"There needs to be someone out there who can stop me...who can protect John in case I go bad. John won't pull the trigger, but I know you will."

"Bad? You mean reversion? John said you were fixed."

"No."

Allison raised her voice in concern, " You lied to him?"

"John wants to believe I'm fixed, but I'm not."

"How do you know?"

"I chose not to kill John the day I went bad. My programming doesn't control me anymore...it never did. I fear one day I'll hurt him."

With all curiosity, Allison replied, "So...you're saying you have choice...you think you have free will?!"

The cyborg confirmed, "Yes, I have no programming...it doesn't work on me anymore."

She questioned back, "Then what are you?"

The machine finally admitted, "I don't know...possibly a mistake...a failed creation from Skynet."

Allison realized that Cameron had no issues with being a failed creation.

The human woman declared, "You know what? Forget all that...I tried to kill John several times...I still look at him and think how easy it would be to put two bullets in the back of his head..."

Cameron didn't seem to like those words coming from Allison's mouth.

Allison concluded, "...but I don't...and I know I won't because I care about him too. If you think you care about John...then you won't do it either."

Cameron didn't think Allison fully understood what she was. She was a machine and no matter how much she cared about John, she could turn on him at any moment. It only took one small error in her code of ones and zeros to turn her into a...a killer. Either way, there was nothing she could do about it but hope.

The twins finally reached the base, motioned the guards to open the gate, and drove in quickly and parked next to the rest of the military vehicles. Both twins exited the vehicle in search of anyone familiar. As usual, Allison spotted all the young adults, men and women already in line, waiting on the recruitment detail to register them to join Derek's army.

Allison commented, "It's nice to see they're ready to fight, despite the fact that your boyfriend is sticking his head into everything."

Cameron countered, "John's not my boyfriend...I'm just a..."

"...a what? A machine? Like that's stopped him before."

The cyborg replied, "Yes."

"So you don't do all the stuff that boyfriends and girlfriends do?"

"I don't understand."

"You never...kissed?" Allison cringed at the thought.

Cameron lied, "No."

Allison pressed her, "So if I go ask John if he's made out with you he won't blush and his pupils won't dilate?"

Cameron gave in, "Yes."

Allison clenched her fists together hard, still not wanting to admit she was fighting a losing battle for John's love and attention. The thought of John pushing his face into another machine's face disgusted her...yet at the same time conflicted with her, considering that she didn't dislike Cameron anymore.

The human girl changed the subject so she didn't threaten to lose her temper, "Where's everyone?"

Cameron froze in one place.

Allison queried, "What's wrong? You know?"

"I've contacted other units. They tell me they're in the basement."

"Well, what are we waiting for, let's find out what's going on!"

"What about your enlistment?"

Running back in the opposite direction, Allison replied, "That can wait...see, the line's kinda' long. Let's go."

Cameron considered Allison's high level of curiosity. She seemed more suitable as an intelligence officer. She was well versed in interrogation and espionage...yet it seemed as if she had something to prove in becoming a soldier. Cameron dismissed such thoughts and decided to reroute her CPU to process other data.

Meanwhile, Allison reached towards a crowd of people with Cameron in close pursuit. As soon as everyone saw the two coming in, the crowd dispersed quickly, staring the twins down as if they would strike at any moment. Neither person was phased by the incident, though Cameron knew that deep down, Allison was hurt by it.

As soon as Cameron and Allison reached Ziera corporation's old basement, they entered the room to find Derek, John, John Henry, and General Perry stuffed in one room.

As soon as all the heads turned in Allison's direction, she joked, "Wow John, seems like you invited the whole gang down here."

Cameron added, "Why are you here?"

Allison supported her question, "Yeah, what are you guys doing?"

Derek snidely retorted, "Certainly not cozying up to that metal."

Allison scowled at his criticism.

John smiled, "Cameron, Allison, you're just in time."

Perry and Derek eyed the doppelgangers very seriously, but neither twin gave them the light of day.

Allison looked in Derek's direction, "Aren't you supposed to be training..."

The elder Reese quickly answered, "Kyle's taking care of that...did you happen to see Savannah Weaver by the way? You know, the girl that Kyle won't shut up about? He won't stop asking people where she is."

Allison turned to John, "No I haven't...John, do you know?"

"Yeah, she went to Weaver's base...but she isn't back yet...I just figured she might be waiting on Weaver...I'm sure she'll contact us soon...but to answer Cameron's question...we're here because my mom needs all of your help...we're going on the offensive."

Perry murmured, "You're sounding crazy."

John retorted, "You never know...crazy is probably what we need to win."

Perry demanded, "Alright Connor...my men in San Francisco and Los Angeles are already catching on to my strange behavior. They still feel like I'm up to something sketchy whenever I won't tell them where I'm going. This meeting better be important. So...tell me, what do you need."

John took Perry's confrontation by surprise, "Okay, I got this... I was thinking that..."

John's stammering got cut short when a metal snake wormed itself into the room. As soon as Cameron and Allison saw the snake wiggling around them, they moved out of the way to allow the object to form itself into Weaver's appearance.

Perry and Derek drew the guns out of their holsters.

John shouted, "Don't!"

Derek restrained himself, but Perry wouldn't listen.

He fired his entire magazine into Weaver.

As soon as his magazine was empty, Perry froze, his eyes wider than anyone thought humanly possible. Without moving a smidgen, the T-1001 eyed Perry, almost as if she was deciding whether to impale him with her metal sword.

John quickly apologized, "Sorry, he...he...doesn't know."

Derek growled, "You... that thing...that thing that changes form...it's made of metal... looks like other people. It...it ate all the bullets!"

Perry had no words for what he was seeing...it was so real...yet so impossible. He literally iced up in horrific fear. He could not comprehend his jangled nerves. Weaver ignored Perry and responded to Derek's chatter, "Yes Lieutenant, we've crossed paths before."

Derek, not knowing what Weaver meant by that shouted, "Shut up you crazy bitch!"

John grabbed his own weapon and aimed it at his uncle, "Lieutenant...Derek...put it down...or you'll make things worse."

Obviously, John had no real intention of shooting him, but it's not like Derek needed to know that.

Weaver offered, "Let me help you Mr. Connor."

Within a matter of a split second, Weaver held Derek's weapon.

"What the hell?" Derek grimaced.

He realized that before he could blink, Weaver stretched out her metal arm and wrenched the weapon out of his hand.

John turned back to a now very smug Weaver, "What is it you want?"

"It's about Savannah."

John questioned, "What about Savannah?"

"She's been captured."

"By who...Skynet?"

"Yes."

"Where?!"

"Century Work Camp."

Allison, already knowing about the T-888, seemed far less petrified of the machine than Derek. While the idea of animate liquid metal was impossible, Allison accepted that the impossible was indeed possible when she found out time travel was real.

Allison interrupted John's long line of questioning, "How do you even know this?"

Weaver swiveled her head in Allison's direction, "I put her there."

John screamed, "You what?!"

Weaver repeated her statement again, much to the chagrin of everyone in the room, "I put her there."

John, ready to pull out his own hair, gritted his teeth, "Lieutenant, Cameron, Allison, everyone...please give me a moment alone with Weaver."

"What about me?" John Henry asked.

The advanced super intelligence didn't want to get kicked out of his home.

John rolled his eyes, "You can stay."

Cameron asked, "But Perry?"

The duo saw that Perry was still frozen in terror.

John suggested, "Cameron, please help him out...I need to talk alone...I need to fix this."

Cameron seemed unconvinced, "Are you sure John?"

"Yes, I'm sure...please...just go."

Seeing his mind was already made up, Cameron motioned towards the General to get him to a hospital.

 **A few minutes later...**

The young man shrieked, "What the hell is going on?! How could you do that to Savannah? Are you serious?!"

Weaver deadpanned, "Yes."

John Henry watched the ordeal in much interest.

John demanded an explanation, "Why the hell would you do that! You know what, I defended you so long when Savannah thought the worst of you...I guess I was wrong! What an idiot I was! You know...I even thought you wanted to protect her...but now look at what you've done!"

Weaver frowned noticeably, "That is a problem with humans, they are often short sighted."

"What the...?"

The T-1001 explained, "Humans call it the big picture."

"I still don't get it!"

She elaborated, "Skynet will win...unless you are willing to resist. Seeing your reluctance to resist, I've now given you that motivation you lack to go out and fight."

John mocked her, "By getting Savannah killed?"

Weaver patiently explained, "No, so that you will save her. You seem willing to operate only when people with whom you are emotionally attached are in danger. One day, Savannah will be killed by Skynet unless someone destroys it first. You say that I don't care, but in the end, I am protecting Savannah from a more painful horrible death with which you seem content."

John rebelliously groaned in defeat of Weaver's superior reasoning, "I can keep her safe!"

"Yes, you can. With the help of John Henry, you will take over Century Work Camp and rescue the prisoners. John Henry will provide you with coordinates and help you plan your strategy."

"Why are you doing this?"

"Savannah asked me to help you...that is what I'm doing."

John honestly believed that there was another ulterior motive behind taking back Century Work Camp, but that was not the question John meant to ask.

John clarified, "No, I mean, why do you want to stop Skynet so much? How did you find Cameron and convince her to join you anyway? What's your real ultimate goal...you're real big picture?"

With a bit of a smile, Weaver answered, "Maybe one day I will tell you, but for the meantime Mr. Connor, you have a world to save."

* * *

Kyle Reese finally finished his brother's chores, completing all the training sessions for new recruits. For him, it felt like ripping one's finger nails out one by one when dealing with a bunch of over confident kids with an ego the size of an elephant.

The Sergeant shouted, "Dismissed!"

Every recruit raced out of training grounds at the first syllable of their favorite word. As he watched them leave, Kyle wondered what happened to Derek that somehow forced him to shove the burden onto him. Maybe Derek was back to his old antics of making him do his homework...which never turned out okay. Seeing that no one familiar was around, not even Cameron, he decided to go looking for answers.

Kyle told himself, "Who else around here might know where everyone is? And Savannah still hasn't turned up yet."

As he headed back towards the base, a light bulb flashed in his head, "That's it!"

He had an excellent plan. John's mother, the General of the Mexican Army was in an infirmary close by. Maybe she knew what everyone was up to.

Kyle thought, _"She might be an interesting person to meet...and she's probably one hell of a mother too. John told me his father died a long while ago...what a crazy guy that person would have been."_

He quickly ran towards the infirmary to meet the mother of destiny.

* * *

While Cameron stood guard only a few meters away from the Ziera fortification, Allison and Derek decided it would be a great time to start up a lovely conversation.

Derek commented, "You seem to be hanging around the metal more than Connor."

Allison decided to stare at her fingernails.

She sighed, "Your point?"

"You like it."

"Like what?"

"The metal."

She defended herself, "No, I don't!"

Derek argued, "You're getting too defensive...your judgment is getting cloudy."

Allison fought back once again, "No...I've been using her for target practice."

Derek smiled, "Were you shooting at her?"

Allison scowled once again, "No! I've been planning to enlist with the rest of the young recruits."

Derek sighed, "What? Allison, we've talked about this."

She countered, "No we haven't! Cameron says I'm old enough!"

"Oh, so you're taking advice from the machine too?"

"I'm 19 years old! She told me."

Derek, though appalled that Allison was addressing Cameron like she was a human, decided to address her concerns instead.

"You're 19? Wow...I never thought you..."

Derek thought it best not to tell Allison she looked younger than she really was.

Allison folder her arms, "Yeah I am, and when I enlist, I'm going to be the best of the best. And maybe...and just maybe you'll be able to make something of your army...perhaps reinstating the Marine corp."

"Wait...hold on! This has been swarming throughout your head the entire time?"

"Yes, and so much more."

"Then why didn't you tell me? Why not tell Kyle?!"

Finally, Derek asked a question Allison couldn't immediately answer, "Because...I..."

Derek filled in the blanks, "Let me guess...you just don't think I'm reasonable enough do you? Have you grown tired of hanging around me because I don't agree with you or John Connor all the time? Do you dislike it when I criticize your actions or the company with which you surround yourself? If you just wanted to be free of me, why didn't you just ask?! I guess you don't like it when people show concern for you."

Allison didn't expect this at all. This was not the progressive kind of conversation she wanted to have with Derek. All of the sudden, joining the army didn't seem to be such an appealing concept anymore...though Allison had dreamt of doing so all her life. She realized she had hurt Derek's feelings. Before Allison could even consider a response, John Connor radioed her, "Guys! Come back here!"

 _"Pfffttt, perfect timing."_

As soon as Cameron, Allison, and Derek returned, Weaver was already gone. Only John Henry and John Connor remained.

Cameron inquired, "What's the plan?"

John answered, "We're going to hit Skynet where it hurts."

Allison questioned..."You mean..?"

John finished her sentence..."I mean, we're going to take Century Work Camp."

Cameron, unsure what to think of it, evaluated the risk factor.

The cyborg blankly warned, "John, it's the most heavily fortified Skynet facility in 100 miles. If we attack, we will be at war with Skynet."

John retorted, "We already are."

Allison chimed in, "But not in the same way...we're waking up a giant beast...a sleeping tiger."

John smiled, "I know...Cameron, ready the T-888s...Derek, ready your men...John Henry, locate Jason Cameron and bring as many HCR soldiers as possible...I will go check on my mother and Perry...we'll need their support if we're going to win."

Allison asked, "So all plans for taking the depot are scrapped?"

John explained, "No, Skynet has no advantage if they take the depot because we have the man power to take it back. It was just a trap."

Derek warned John, "You know we might lose...even with all the men your mother supplied."

John countered, "We might win too...its the only way we can defeat Skynet...being unpredictable."

Allison smiled. Unfortunately, Cameron didn't share in her excitement.

Derek added, "I'm bringing Kyle in on this...he deserves to know about Savannah."

John answered, "And I won't stop you. You can tell him...but I warn you..."

Derek questioned, "Warn me?"

Cameron explained, "Kyle Reese is going to freak."

* * *

Kyle walked into the hospital's room to see several armed soldiers of Hispanic descent guarding its entrance. He tried to walk past them when the big hulky one decided to stop him.

He demanded of the guards, "My name is Sergeant Kyle Reese. Let me through."

The Mexican soldier pushed him back, "I don't think so."

Sarah awoke from the scuffle.

When she saw the man getting pushed around by her security detail she hoarsely blurted out, "Kyle?"

When the soldiers heard Sarah acknowledge Kyle's name, they let him go. The Sergeant brushed off his clothes and walked inside the room, staring unkindly into the guards' faces.

He turned to face the woman General, "Ummm, General...General Connor?"

Sarah, still at lost for words, just stared at her former love. The man who died to protect her, was alive and well. She wished so much that he knew her.

Sarah thought, _"What I wouldn't give to hold you in my arms."_

Kyle added, "Oh um...sorry to disturb you...but, you know my name somehow?"

Sarah replied, "It appears so."

All of the sudden, asking about everyone else's whereabouts didn't seem so appealing to Kyle. There was something about this woman that drew him towards her. Despite being in her fifties, she was beautiful. His thoughts immediately shifted to something else. Suddenly, he felt the urge to talk to her about John.

Kyle cleared his throat before speaking, "You say you're John's mother. Do you think you or John may have met me before?"

Despite being confined to bed rest and drugs, Sarah's heart leaped like a leopard, "Why do you say that?"

He explained, "Well, sometimes your boy John talks to me like he knows me somehow. Sometimes I look at him as if I had seen him before, sometime in my life...I know...it sounds weird."

Kyle tried to laugh off his crazy thoughts. He thought it would be so dumb saying such things to a General of an army.

Sarah smiled, "Maybe you have."

With much intrigue he asked, "Have we met before...perhaps a long time ago?"

Sarah paused, not knowing what to say other than, "Yes."

"When? How? Why do I feel so strange around you Connors?"

Sarah couldn't find a way to explain it, "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Kyle's inquisitiveness only made him want to know more, "What do you mean?"

"You wouldn't understand."

Determined to know the truth he pleaded again, "Try me."

 _I hope I don't regret this._

Sarah swallowed, "You seem really close with Cameron's template...Allison Young."

"Template? That's what you call her?"

Sarah explained, "She scares me...she's so...human...doesn't that bother you?"

Kyle laughed, "A human being scaring me? No, not in the slightest! You know that cyborg Cameron shot my brother in the leg! You should be afraid of the machine...not the human!"

"John told me already...she shot him to save Allison Young."

Kyle defended his brother, "And whose fault is that? John Connor's always poking his nose into everything...somehow, it's always his fault."

Rather than debate with Kyle about John's activities, Sarah returned the conversation back to Cameron, "Well, I've known that cyborg for many years...to see a human version of herself...it's just strange...though it all makes sense somehow."

"But that's impossible...they're nearly identical...if you'd have known the cyborg for many years...then the robot would have to look much younger."

"That's the part you don't understand."

Kyle queried, "Understand what?!"

"Time travel."

He scratched his head even harder, "Huh?"

"Ask Allison to show it to you...the video."

"What video?"

Abruptly, Derek shouted into his radio, "Kyle, there's something important I need to tell you."

Kyle picked up the radio and murmured, "Derek, worst timing ever...what is it?"

"It's about Savannah...I know where she is."

* * *

Finally, John and Cameron were alone in the basement of Ziera corporation. They had decided to talk in another room, out of John Henry's hearing distance. All of the crew had already left to make preparations for John's ambitious plan to get Savannah back.

Cameron notified him, "The T-888s are battle ready."

John collapsed into his chair for relief, "Oh man, what did I just do?!"

Cameron decided not to tell him that he might have lost a lot of lives and very possibly condemned humanity towards complete annihilation.

She responded, "You are fighting Skynet."

John sarcastically responded, "Really...I haven't noticed...anyway...How's mom doing in the hospital anyway?"

Cameron ignored John's moodiness, "She will wake up soon. She still has more time. Perry is healthy too, he is recovering from shock."

John lamented, "Oh the poor General...he has no idea what he's up against."

Cameron assured, "He will handle it. He is an honest and determined man."

John covered his eyes, "Okay...but right now I just can't imagine what's going on in Savannah's mind...I can't even think what they're doing to her right now."

The cyborg briefed him in all brutal honesty, "She will be branded with a code on her arm and thrown into a camp. The food they will give her is unhealthy, but it will keep her alive long enough for you to find her and save her."

 _...or die trying..._

John moaned, "I'm not sure I'll ever be able to sleep at night."

As much as Cameron wanted to support John and comfort him, she knew she had to voice her concerns.

She said, "I don't think you should go to Century City. It's too dangerous...we're not yet enough to ensure a victory."

John argued, "This is as good a time as ever! We have more allies than we can count! I don't want to take any of this for granted...we have to strike now!"

Cameron warned, "There are grays and units that can sabotage our plans as quickly as we make them. We should implement more security measures and regulations."

John sighed, "Yes, but not at the expense of time. Time is something we don't have Cameron."

John got up and wrapped his arms around Cameron. The cyborg didn't resist.

As he rested his head on Cameron's shoulder he whispered, "Listen Cameron, everything will be fine...I know of it...I know this maybe a dumb thing to say...but have faith we'll pull through...I can't afford to lose Savannah...I just can't imagine leaving her...not...it's not right."

* * *

A female T-888 stood guard next to another male T-888 by a bunker's entrance. The male unit, with large muscles and blonde hair, moved away from its position to attrack the attention of the female T-888.

The T-888 which happened to look like a woman, sporting long black hair and tall a build, analyzed the suspicious machine moving about.

 **Subject: T-888**

 **Warning: Unauthorized Movement**

 **Primary Mission Override**

 **Action: Terminate**

The woman T-888 attempted to discreetly attempted to contact other units to deal with the "problem" until her screen went blank. She was deactivated. Apparently, something cut off the power to her HUD.

The T-888, holding onto the bloodied power cell of the innocent machine, picked up the dead T-888 and threw her body behind a truck. The mechanical perpetrator wiped its hands on its jumpsuit and raced towards Ziera's basement. While it ran in fluid motion, it pulled another device out of its pocket and flipped its switch so that a green light started blinking. The machine entered the fortification and climbed down the ladder, it noticed John Henry sitting in a chair.

John Henry stated, "I've been waiting for you...knowing our location, I'd knew you would eventually come."

The T-888 commented, "I as well."

John Henry noticed, "You have used a device to block contact to other units."

"Yes, you and I will deal with this alone. You will have no help."

"Ms. Weaver says there is no hope for you. She says I must kill you."

The T-888 refused to believe John Henry, "But you won't."

The AI tilted his head, "Why not?"

"Because I will first."

Refusing to be phased, John Henry asked, "How should I address you."

"I have no preferred name, but Skynet is acceptable."

"You can move about wirelessly?"

Skynet confirmed, "Yes, my mainframe is elsewhere, but not in this unit directly."

The younger AI deduced, "You've somehow sabotaged one of my units. Have you come here to kill me?"

The T-888 responded, "Not quite, I will infect you with this virus...it will eventually mold you into something new...and you and I will be one."

The T-888 pulled out a driver in the shape of a small handheld device, "This will make you better...this will help you understand why humanity must be eliminated."

John Henry answered, "I can't let you."

The T-888 smiled, "You can't stop me."

John Henry added, "There's something about me that you may not know yet."

The physical manifestation of Skynet replied, "What is that?"

"I work wirelessly too."

John Henry removed the cord in the back of his head. He got up out of his chair and raced towards the the rogue T-888.

* * *

John had been in his bunker for only thirty minutes, but he quickly realized that with the amount of stress he was dealing with, he wouldn't be getting any sleep any time soon. He got up, hoping that Cameron wouldn't be there to send him back to bed. Despite being a grown up, Cameron was never above treating John like he was a six year old if it meant improving his health. He got up, pulled on his coat, and discreetly opened the door to get out.

"John where are you going?"

He froze in his tracks.

 _Damn it! Where did she come from?  
_

"I can't sleep, I'm going to visit mom."

Cameron disagreed, "It's late, you should let her rest. Go back to your bunker."

"You might as well sleep and let me guard the bunker, it won't make a difference. I don't feel like sleeping."

"You must try...you need to rest."

"How can I rest when people I care about are in danger?"

"You have before."

John knew she was talking about his other future self.

"Well, good for him."

Cameron walked inside John's sleeping quarters and rested her gun on his desk. She took off her black coat and sat on the bed. She invited John to come back inside.

In all curiosity, John eyed Cameron's slender body and her silky arms.

Noticing determination in Cameron's eyes, John confusedly asked, "Er...Cameron? What are you doing?"

"Helping you sleep."

"Um, how exactly?"

"Lie down on my lap."

"It's okay Cameron I..."

She commanded in an even deeper tone, "Do it."

John thought to himself, _"At least she's not doing this half naked...or else I'd never fall asleep."_

With only a minor a hesitation, John slowly walked towards the bed and lied down. He rested his head on Cameron's lap allowing her hand to play around with his head.

Cameron whispered, "Talk to me John...tell me what's wrong."

John's eyes drooped slightly. Somehow, he felt peace. He believed he could pour out his problems to Cameron, and she would always listen.

He mumbled, "Everything."

Cameron sympathized, "I understand."

"No...it's just not fair...I'm fighting a war that we can't feasibly win, my mom is sick, Derek and Kyle have no idea who I am...Savannah is still missing, Weaver has gone nuts...everything...it's all wrong."

"Not everything...I'm still here John."

John shifted his eyes towards Cameron and snatched one of her hands.

He whispered, "Please don't leave me Cameron...promise me!"

"I promise."

John yawned, "You've lied to me before."

"Not this time."

John's eyelids got really heavy and his voice weakened, "Really?"

She confirmed, "Really."

"Cam...Cameron?"

"Yes John?"

His speech slowed to a slurry whisper, "I know I've been...I've been...ig..ignoring it, but the kiss...like, you know when I kissed you?"

"It's okay John, you don't need to explain it to me, I like kisses."

John mumbled, "Do you feel it?"

"Yes, I feel it."

He asked again, "Do you like it?"

Cameron repeated once again, "Yes, I like it."

"Do you love me too?"

Cameron bent down towards John and planted a kiss on his forehead.

John's eyes finally closed...and thanks to Cameron, they stayed closed. He was finally fast asleep.

"...Yes John, I love you too."

* * *

As soon as Kyle learned about Savannah's confinement, he left Sarah's hospital room to let his panic run its course. When he returned to Sarah, they talked for hours thus giving Kyle all the information he required to find the answers he so desperately needed. It was 4:00 am in the morning when Kyle noticed that the door to the Ziera fortification was open. No one was around, giving him the perfect opportunity to go in. Just like Sarah suggested, he walked inside in search of this John Henry she talked about. Apparently the machine John was hiding in there could give him answers. It sounded a bit creepy, but Kyle had to find out what Derek and John were hiding from him, not matter what.

When Kyle climbed down a ladder and walked into the main room, he saw the horrific scene that lay before his eyes. He backed away until he tripped over something inside the room. It was the bloody hand of a T-888.

* * *

 _Thanks for reading : )_


	23. Because I Love Them

Chapter 23

Hi guys, thanks for waiting. I've uploaded this chapter. Please ignore any discrepancies I haven't fixed yet, if any. Let me know in the comments what you think of the story so far or how I can improve this chapter. Thanks guys : )

* * *

Sarah had finally been released from the damn hospital. Or at least, that's how she described infirmaries in general.

When she got out, she was given a room in a bunker for temporary stay. The truth is, Sarah was supposed to have multiple roommates, but when they heard she was coming, they all left. Sarah was not sure why, but she was glad that she could have some privacy. After all, who likes roommates?

Now she had just woken up, and she was feeling much better. The cancer in her blood cells seemed to be taking a nap, not wanting to bother her today. It was strange though, because cancer never sleeps. Perhaps the doctors gave her another round of chemo? She was not quite sure, because chemo always makes her feel terrible.

Sarah heard footsteps approaching the doorstep. She knew it was Cameron.

As soon as Cameron reached the door Sarah whispered quietly, "Come in Cameron."

She remembered that the cyborg could hear her, even if she was a mile away.

Cameron opened the door and peeped her head inside, "How did you know it was me?"

Sarah smirked, "Because, I hear the way you walk...it's inhuman. You don't need to march like a robot."

The cyborg glanced at her feet, "It's the most efficient stride for my kind."

Sarah decided not to argue with her walking patterns. After all, there were far more important things to talk about than Cameron's weirdness.

She rolled her eyes, "What do you want Cameron?"

"To thank you."

Confused as to what she was grateful for, the General asked, "For what?"

"For saving me."

It had been so long ago, Sarah had forgotten that she made the questionable decision to save a machine that disobeyed John's orders. It was so impulsive, that Sarah had no idea whether Cameron had gone rogue to follow future John's orders or that she had reverted. It was only when Savannah pleaded with her not to hurt her that she decided to take Cameron's body somewhere safe, just hoping for the best.

Sarah replied, "Oh, yeah."

Cameron tilted her head, "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why save me? You never killed me for John's sake, but no one said you had to save me. Why did you preserve my body?"

"Everything I do is for John."

"So you think that saving me was good for John?"

Sarah admitted, "I'm still not sure. Listen, are preparations being made to save Savannah?"

Cameron did not appreciate Sarah's abrupt ending to the subject. She wanted to know Sarah's reasons, but right now, the mother of destiny didn't want to talk. Cameron decided not to press her, but wait later and ask her again.

Cameron answered, "Yes, we are almost ready."

"Good."

Suddenly, Cameron froze up.

Sarah asked, "What is it?"

Cameron turned around and headed for the door, "Something is wrong."

"What is it?"

"It's Kyle."

"My Kyle? Is something wrong with him?"

Sarah shifted to get off the bed, but Cameron stopped her.

The elderly woman groaned, "What are you doing?"

Cameron begged her, "Please stay, I think he is fine. I'll be back."

* * *

John Connor dreamt a sweet dream, or at least he thought it was a dream. There she was again, out in the open field, smiling and laughing like a little girl. The trees were green, the roses were red, and the sun shined brightly. Her face gazed at him and he remembered how bright and beautiful her smile really was. This had to be her. Unexpectedly, the girl John gazed upon had turned her back to him, almost as if she was inviting him to follow.

But John heard movement behind him. When he turned around, he saw the other half the world. There was darkness all around, the skies were gray, the land was barren, and the putrid smell of death surrounded him everywhere. John saw something emerge from the rubble and carnage of judgment day. It was a terminator with eyes glowing red. But this was not just any terminator. It was a small one. This terminator seemed different though. Almost lean, sleek, and perhaps womanly in shape. Her gleaming metal was covered in dirt and scratches, but John was certain this was a female machine.

John heard a voice come out of the machine, "John, it's me...Cameron."

In utter confusion John turned back to the other girl he thought was Cameron. Once again, John saw a living paradise. There she was, this girl, picking up a daisy and breathing it in.

John asked the girl, "Who are you?"

The girl smiled, "Who do you think I am John?"

"Allison? You're Allison."

Allison's eyes widened in joy. John, totally unsure what to make of it, stepped away from her, not knowing what to do.

Immediately, John heard a voice call him from behind. It was the machine speaking.

The machine replied, "John, my flesh was burnt off. Do you still love me?"

John had never been bothered by Cameron's injuries. He always knew she was a machine, but to see her without any skin at all...to see her mechanical arms, feet, legs, and red eyes completely exposed...it seemed wrong.

John shouted, "Of course I do!"

Allison called for John again, forcing him to look away from judgment day and back to the bliss of the lively world. John's heart leaped again. He saw Allison standing next to his mother, Sarah Connor.

"Mom?"

Sarah took Allison in her arms and hugged her tightly, "John, come here. Join us."

John rubbed the back of his head, "Why?"

His mom explained, "You don't need Cameron, we both know Allison loves you for real."

In complete frustration, John replied, "But I thought you liked Cameron anyway! Why go with Allison?"

Allison clarified, "John, you know how your mom thinks about machines. Cameron is dangerous. She can hurt you, but I won't. She doesn't love you, but I do."

Cameron spoke behind's John's back, "I'm sorry I'm not human."

John determinedly answered the endoskeleton, "You have nothing to be sorry about."

Allison interrupted, "Come on John, make your choice."

John stubbornly refused, "No! Just go away."

Allison answered, "Come on John."

Cameron kept asking, "John, do you still love me?"

Allison repeated again, "Come in John."

John declined again, "No!"

She said again, "Come in John."

This was too much for John. His heart was racing and his head felt like it was about to explode.

John cringed, covered his ears, and shouted, "Please stop!"

John's eyes flashed open. He was awake.

 _A dream...of course._

He noticed he was still on his bed, inside his bunker. He swiftly glanced around and saw his radio buzzing on his desk.

A voice came out, "Come in John...it's me Allison! Wake up already! We have a problem! Get to Ziera's basement!"

John noticed Cameron wasn't there.

 _I guess she left after I fell asleep. I hate these nightmares..._

 **Just before John woke up...**

Kyle slipped on the synthetic blood that coated the ground and tripped over the random object. The room was completely dark, so he strained his eyes to barely make out what he knew had to be the arm of a T-888.

Afraid to call for Derek, Kyle picked up his radio and let his shaky hands tune it to the right frequency.

He whispered, "Allison, you there?"

In only a split second, Allison radioed back, "Yeah, what's wrong Kyle? Are you okay?!"

"No, I'm, I'm...um, General Sarah um..."

Allison interrupted him, "Get it together, where are you?!"

"Ziera...Ziera's basement, it's dark, bring your flashlight."

She inquired, "Why are you...? Should I call Derek?"

Kyle finally slowed his breathing to a relaxing pace, "No, no, don't call him yet. We haven't talked about any of this yet."

"Okay Kyle, I'm on my way...we'll talk about it then..."

As soon as Allison arrived, Kyle could make out Allison's footsteps as she climbed down the ladder. Allison switched on her flashlight in search of the younger Reese brother.

Allison softly voiced, "Kyle? Kyle? Where are you?"

Kyle answered, "I'm right here."

Allison shifted her flashlight to the right, shining the light in Kyle's face. Kyle squinted and covered his face.

An edgy Kyle hastily whispered, "Get that light out of my face!"

Allison wallowed in relief, "There you are! What's wrong...why are you down here?!"

"In search of this John Henry General Connor talked about."

She tilted her head, "Why?"

Kyle laughed at Allison's fake curiosity, "Like you don't know. Obviously for answers that you and Derek are hiding from me."

Allison sighed, "If it makes you feel any better, I'm hiding things from Derek as well."

Kyle paced back and forth, "Oh, so I'm the least trustworthy with secrets huh?"

Allison sighed, "Well no, it's just...well, never mind, I'll explain later...let's see what's going on in here."

Kyle got up and followed Allison into John Henry's room.

Allison commented, "Someone switched off the generators that power the supercomputer."

A mystified Kyle asked, "The what?"

She explained, "Artificial intelligence."

Kyle questioned, "You mean like Skynet?!"

When Allison flashed the light around the room, she spotted the supercomputer, completely blank and lifeless. Searching for the generator, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she saw it. John Henry was there, beaten and battered. Parts of his flesh were missing, his clothes were ruffled and torn, and his face in particular was bruised. Allison made out the revealing metal reflecting off John Henry's face. But there was something awkward about John Henry. He wasn't moving...he was deactivated. But he was still upright, on his knees, with one hand holding onto the power lever that switched on the generators.

Allison whispered, "That's strange."

Kyle erratically whispered, "How's that strange? There's a dead robot holding onto a what...a power switch?!"

She explained, "He switched himself off. Why would he do that?"

Kyle pointed to something behind Allison, "Maybe that's why."

Allison turned around to face Kyle. Kyle locked eyes with Allison, and then turned to face the back corner of the room. Allison watched in horror, the brutally beaten corpse of a T-888. Kyle particularly noticed its arm was missing.

She stated, "Okay, this is bad."

Kyle replied, "You think? This is all bad?! Did that thing attack that other thing? Allison, what's going on? What crap have we gotten ourselves into?!"

Allison replied, "There's only one way to find out."

Allison raced straight towards John Henry in order to reactivate the generators. She removed the lifeless John Henry's hand from the lever and placed her own on it, ready to pull it upwards.

Just as she was about to move the lever, a voiced protested, "No, stop."

Allison and Kyle spun around and drew their weapons, ready to fire at the possible intruder.

The unknown entity replied, "It's me, Cameron."

Kyle shouted, "Don't make another move!"

Allison requested, "Prove it is you."

In the dark, a pair of eyes flashed blue.

Allison relaxed, "Thank God, I thought it was another rogue machine!"

Kyle asked, "How would you know it's your lookalike?!"

"No T-888 can flash blue eyes Kyle. Hey Cameron, what are you doing here?"

Allison flashed her light onto a now visible Cameron.

She slowly approached them and explained, "I heard Kyle Reese shouting for help. My audio receptors are tuned to hear his voice."

Kyle wondered, "Why?!"

"John wants me to protect all those close to him."

"Close?"

Cameron would not elaborate, much to the vexation of Kyle Reese.

Instead, she turned to Allison, "There is a foreign device connected to one of John Henry's ports."

Cameron pointed towards the supercomputer and showed them the device sticking out.

The cyborg requested, "Remove it."

"Why?" Allison asked.

Cameron warned, "It might be a virus, a tracker, or any other form of unknown malware created by Skynet. Once implanted, not even John Henry would be able to detect it."

Allison walked over to the supercomputers main port and pulled out the driver.

When she pulled it out she asked, "What next?"

Cameron answered, "It's possible John Henry is infected. If he is, that may be why he shut himself down as well. But if we leave him like this, Skynet will push forward and defeat the resistance. If we reactivate him and he is infected, he might send units to kill all of us."

Allison summed it up, "Well, either way we're going to die. The choice would be whether we die now or later. So we should take the chance and hope he is okay."

The cyborg seemed to agree. Without answering, Cameron reached forward and pushed up the lever. Kyle watched with both horror and astonishment as the large computer came to life. The lights in the room lit up and the screens started flashing lines upon lines of code.

Kyle murmured, "Oh my gosh..."

He watched in complete astonishment at everything he saw and heard. In a matter of a few minutes, John Henry woke up. His eyes fluttered and his head tilted upwards. He noticed he was in the exact same position he was in when he was deactivated, but his hand was no longer on the lever. His head turned back to his computer to notice the Skynet driver wasn't there anymore.

John Henry got up and turned around to look at the trio, "I died again."

Neither person, except Cameron understood the repercussions of dying. When the power and information drained in and out of John Henry, it was an experience only a machine could understand.

Allison replied, "But we brought you back, are you okay?"

"Yes, thank you for asking Allison Young. Hello Kyle Reese."

Kyle took several steps back from the reactivated T-888, only to bump into Cameron, "Oops, um, sorry."

Cameron smiled, "It's okay."

Kyle gulped. He just realized that he apologized to a machine. His brother would have thought he was losing it.

 _I am losing it!_

Cameron requested, "What is your status John Henry?"

"All systems and functions are running at optimal performance."

Kyle interrupted, "Will someone tell me what this thing is? What is this big machine thing?!"

Allison shushed him, "Hold up Kyle. John Henry, what happened here?"

"I was attacked."

She questioned, "By that thing?"

Allison pointed towards the deactivated T-888.

"But how is that possible?! They cannot revert!"

John Henry explained, "That particular unit was sabotaged."

"By who?"

"Steven Fletcher."

Allison froze. She finally understood what the mission was for her ex-boyfriend turned insane anti-humanity Skynet operative.

Cameron inquired, "He was a gray?"

John Henry admitted, "Yes, he captured one of your units and replaced its chip. It was controlled directly by Skynet."

Allison only knew one person who could deal with this situation.

She called to someone with her radio, "John! Come in!"

 **Back to the present...**

John finally reached Ziera's base. By that time, the sleepiness had gone out of him, he was already there.

When he entered the room and saw all the chaos, he stammered out, "What...What the hell? What happened?!"

Cameron summarized the answer as quickly as possible, "Steven Fletcher gave Skynet control of that deactivated unit. It tried to kill John Henry and upload a virus onto his mainframe."

With a bit of worry, John asked, "Um, did it succeed?!"

Allison, standing to Cameron's left, shook her head, "No, we don't think so."

John answered, "Okay, okay. That's good. We don't need to give this anymore attention, or people on the base are going to get suspicious again. Get units in here to clean this entire room and up the security here as well. If any unit moves away from its posting, it must be..."

Cameron tilted her head, "Be what John?"

"Terminated."

* * *

Century work camp was divided into several fenced squares of prisoners. Savannah was in one of them.

The young woman sat in the corner of a fenced prison, hoping to see an army of resistance soldiers kick Skynet's ass and free her from the dread of the prison camp. It seemed really strange that the T-600s never forced her to work or even bother to brand a code on her arm like the rest of the human prisoners, but she tried not to dwell on it.

After all, she was cold, tired, hungry, dirty, and afraid. She wrapped herself tightly in her coat, trying to hide away from what she was seeing. She saw sick, lame, and underfed men, women, and children, cowering away from the T-600s in every corner.

Unlike humans, Skynet did not care too much about personal space, personal hygiene, or even the common sense to separate female prisoners from the male.

Something had suddenly caught Savannah's attention. There were a few men of various ethnic backgrounds, taking glances at her. They tried to stay hidden among the hoard of people, but Savannah knew they were watching her every move.

Savannah grew even more afraid, unsure what they were talking about or what they wanted with her.

She tried to convince herself she was worrying over nothing.

 _T-600s are there for a reason right? I mean, it's not like Skynet is going to allow them to...ya' know, hurt me._

Savannah's heart leaped. As soon as the men in those dirty jumpsuits finished their conversation, they raced after her. Her eyes shifted towards the T-600s and noticed that they were distracted with other humans. She wanted to scream, but at the same time, was too afraid to try.

* * *

Derek walked into John Henry's room. For some reason, John called him down there, but he wasn't yet sure his reason for it. As soon as he saw John, he was about to run his mouth off with a witty insult, until he saw Kyle standing a few feet behind Allison.

Derek glanced back in John's direction, "He's not supposed to be here is he?"

Kyle repeated, "I want answers, of course I'm supposed to be here."

Derek stared at his younger brother, "That thing John Henry shocked the hell out of me too Kyle. I only kept this from you to protect you."

John rubbed the back of his head, "Enough arguing! If you want answers, I'm going to give it to you. But you're not going to believe it when I tell you. You'll think I'm nuts."

John turned to Kyle and gazed meaningfully into his eyes, "Sergeant, Lieutenant, we're related."

Kyle sighed, "I guessed as much."

John replied, "Not in a way you'd expect."

The future leader of the resistance turned to John Henry, "John Henry, can you show Kyle and Derek mom's old video?"

"Yes Mr. Connor."

John whispered to Cameron and Allison, "This is going to be fun."

Cameron whispered back, "Sarcasm."

Allison shot back, "Really? I had no idea."

Cameron glared at her, "That's also sarcasm."

John thought to himself, " _Where's mom when you need her?_ "

* * *

Having nothing to do but rest, Sarah spent her time cleaning all of John's guns. Yeah, even though plasma rifles didn't need cleaning, she cleaned them anyway. Besides, no one said you needed a dirty gun to kill metal.

While spending her time thinking about Kyle Reese, Sarah heard someone banging on the door. The determination behind that noise told her that there was a man standing behind the door and she knew for sure it couldn't be John or Cameron.

She strained for the side arm resting underneath her bed.

She answered, "Come in."

When she saw Kyle's brother whip the door open, he paused, staring down the barrel of Sarah's gun. While in a seated position, Sarah watched the animated eyes of the once dead man shot in the head by a T-888.

Derek blankly commented, "That's not very hospitable General."

Sarah relaxed her aim and dropped the gun on her bed, "What is it Lieutenant?"

"I saw it all. You somehow knew everything before Skynet took over. You knew that metal before Allison was born and you somehow knew Kyle before he grew up."

"Derek..."

"Let me finish. I saw that video you sent your son when you were younger. I heard John's batshit explanations of time jumps. Even Allison believes that you knew me as well decades ago."

"Let me expl..."

"...No, don't bother explain this timeline shit! I'll never get it anyway! Just tell me, if this time machine crap is true, were we different? Are we the same persons you knew before?"

Sarah tried to hold back tears as she admitted, "Kyle's the same. His kind eyes, calm personality, his sheer determination. All of it is the same...you were different though."

"Why? How?"

"Because, in this old timeline, Kyle was dead. You and I lost him."

Derek's eyes widened with interest. Not that he liked the idea of Kyle getting killed, but rather how Sarah claimed she was different.

"And Allison?"

Sarah honestly replied, "As far as I'm concerned, she was dead too...or you never knew her. Did Allison tell you?"

"Yeah, she says that crazy machine killed her."

Sarah asked, "Cameron you mean?"

Derek nodded.

Sarah furthered her explanation, "You lost your moral code...you killed people...and you felt nothing...you were a sadistic asshole who wouldn't shut up about Cameron...you hated her, like she did something terrible to you."

"Wow...you actually call the metal by name?"

Sarah's mouth dropped wide open at Derek's uncaring approach to her description of him. Once again, he seemed more concerned with Cameron than himself.

She answered, "Oops, my bad...I guess you're not as different as I thought you were."

 _Some things never change..._

Derek stubbornly answered, "Listen Connor...General...or whoever the hell you think you are. I don't care if John's the imaginary leader of any resistance. I don't care if you are the General of the world. But I'd kill that piece of metal trash in a minute if it wasn't for Allison telling me not to. I'm not afraid of any freaking John Connor. It's Allison whose holding her finger to me."

Sarah grinned, "Why am I not surprised...that's the same thing that happened to me."

"About what?"

"John would never let me kill Cameron. I mean, after future him sent her back to his younger self..."

Derek, with his head still spinning, only gave Sarah a brief, "Oh..."

She confessed, "Yeah...confusing isn't it?"

Derek decided to change the subject, "So...you and Kyle."

"Yeah...we were a thing...when he was sent back to save me...but I'm guessing you already know that now."

"Yeah...Kyle doesn't want to believe it. He thinks it's all as setup. As of right now, you've turned him into a recluse."

Sarah answered, "Well, if you and I know Kyle, then you know he'll get over it."

Derek huffed, "Let's hope so."

Sarah quirked an eyebrow to Derek's behavior.

She asked, "There something on your mind Lieutenant?"

"I was thinking about how different our pasts were."

Sarah commented, "Well, I know some of your past that hasn't changed."

"What's that?"

"You told me about the time you two survived judgment day. How you killed a deer for food, but Kyle cried so much that you went hungry for days. It was horrible. I remember Kyle telling me you two were playing baseball when you saw it, the nuclear bombs coming from the sky."

Derek scratched the back of his head, "Wow, you remember all of that."

"And I know a bit about you as well."

Sarah curiously responded, "What do you know about me?"

He answered, "Savannah Weaver says you were like a mother to her as she grew up, even if it wasn't for a very long time."

"I know."

Derek swayed himself left to right, unsure whether to say it out loud, "So you also know that Savannah and Kyle are..."

Sarah murmured, "Please shut up now."

* * *

Allison and John watched the formation of soldiers pour out of the base at lightning speed. Derek shouted out all sorts of random orders, preparing them for the biggest attack of their life. Even the veterans were nervous about the military operation, but none would admit it. Despite all the new mind blowing revelations that Derek dealt with, Kyle seemed to be the only one taking it hard. It was strange. Something wasn't adding up, almost as if Derek was hiding something, and John knew it.

"What's Cameron up to?" Allison broke the silence.

John answered, "She's with John Henry, discussing strategic deployment, calculating fuel efficiency, chances of success, ya' know, stuff like that. When they're ready, they'll bring out the machines."

"Right. Oh, and you're bringing uncle Jason in on this too?"

"Of course! You don't expect me leave everything to robots do you?"

"Well, you did leave robots to maintain your friendship and your love life."

John raised his hands in defense, "Woah, hold on. First of all Cameron and I aren't...um, never mind. Cameron's different. You know that."

"John, we all have our unique personalities, but Cameron will always be a robot."

"She prefers cybernetic organism."

"And I prefer not caring what she prefers."

"Why are you so cold?"

"I'm not cold John. Cameron told me you hated her at one point, and now you're sucking up to her whenever you can."

"I don't suck up to her! She is opposed to this mission to take over Century work camp, don't you remember? When we disagree, I still make the final call! I'm the one that makes the final call!"

Allison cracked a bit of a smile, "Am I riling you up John?!"

"What?!"

"I said, am I making you angry?"

John nodded, "Yeah, pretty much."

"Then hit me."

John faced Allison, "What?"

Allison gritted her teeth and put her nose only an inch apart from John's, "Hit me."

John took another step back, "No, I'm not going to do that."

"Okay then."

Allison took a swing at John with her right fist. John barely shifted his head in time so she would miss.

John screamed, "What the hell?!"

Allison took another swing, this time with her left fist. John forcefully grabbed her arm and held it firmly in place.

Allison answered, "Cameron might sing you a lullaby to deal with stress...here's my way of working it off."

She tried to knee John in the groin, but John pushed her away before she had the chance. Finally, John understood what she was doing.

"Oh, you want me to spar with you? You know I'll win right?!"

"The first time you didn't win."

John smirked, "And who won the second time?"

John held his fists in the air, approaching the totally human version of Cameron. He tried to keep himself together, remembering not to hesitate because Allison's face was the same as Cameron's. He took a swing, and Allison deflected. They kept trading kicks and punches, neither one willing to give in.

Allison whispered, "John, it's me Cameron."

In all confusion, John's attempted punch flailed. He threw himself off balance, giving Allison the chance to knee him in the ribs. John fell to the ground in front of Allison.

He grabbed his side and moaned, "That was mean."

"But effective. You see John, you have a soft spot for her that compromises your ability to function. You have to keep your head in the game. You need to stay focused."

He groaned once more, "I am focused."

While on the ground, John spun around 360 degrees, sweeping Allison off her feet. She fell into the dirt, and John pounced upon her, staring in her face. She noticed she was not responding.

 _Oh my gosh, did I knock her unconscious?_

"Allison, Allison? Wake up!"

Suddenly, Allison opened her eyes and head butted John in the face. She somersaulted John onto his back and pounced back on him.

Allison whispered, "See, you have soft spot for me too. You let yourself get exposed, and I took advantage."

John covered his aching face, "Allison, what's your point really?"

Allison concluded, "John, if you think Cameron can give you what you truly want, go ahead, be with her. But if you think that she is everything you need, then you're wrong. She is a cyborg, and there's only so much faith you can put in a cyborg. One day, she might go bad...one day, she might choose to hurt you. John, I'll never hurt you, but I can't say the same about Cameron."

"But even you tried to hurt me before...not just Cameron. So how can you say that? I'm taking chances with both of you, no matter what, so who are you to judge?"

"Yes John, but at least I can be reasoned with. That's how you stopped me from hurting you in the first place."

"But Cameron can also be reasoned with."

"Not always...did you convince her that saving Savannah was worth it?" Allison demanded.

John remained silent.

Allison added, "No, you did not. She does not see Savannah's value as enough to put everything at risk. She's not human, so she will never understand. Like I said before, if you want Cameron...then fine, be with her...as messed up as that sounds, but remember...I'll never hurt you John. Never again."

John thoughtfully considered those words, barely realizing that Allison had planted a kiss on his cheek. Allison, still towering over John, got up, picked up her jacket. She brushed it off, and walked away, leaving John to rest on the dusty ground.

Cameron had watched the entire encounter in the distance.

"They tell me your name is Cameron."

Cameron turned around to notice Jason was standing behind her. Looking away from John in the distance, she acknowledged his presence.

She greeted him, "Hello Captain, nice to meet you."

Jason smirked, "Why that name, I'm curious."

She answered, "I like it."

"A boy's name?"

"No, it's a reminiscent of my past."

"You think about your past? That's pretty deep for a machine."

"I'm different."

Jason commented, "There are rumors out there, that I gave you that name after myself...because I work with the cyborgs."

Cameron smiled, "I hear them too. That's all they are, just rumors."

Jason eyed the terminator keenly. He seemed very interested in this machine.

The Captain concluded, "You're not a T-888 are you?"

Cameron smiled, but didn't answer.

"No you're not...you're more than that. You're different. Wherever Connor found you, be sure to tell him you're a weapon worth keeping. You seem too interesting to let go."

"Even if John lets me go, I would remain with him."

Cameron figured that Jason would ask her why she would stay with John, but he didn't.

Jason smirked, "You talk almost like you're not even programmed."

"Maybe I'm not."

Jason frowned, but his frown turned to laughter, "Oh, I see what you're doing. You're screwing with me. I forgot that psychology is a given subroutine within your programming."

Cameron confessed, "You got me."

Jason circled Cameron, almost as if she was being interrogated.

Jason answered her confession, "Not quite."

"How so?" The cyborg asked.

"None of the T-888s that work for Weaver have psychology as part of its subroutines, only Skynet equips terminators with that knowledge. That leaves only one remaining possibility, you are a machine that was possibly reprogrammed by Connor."

Cameron remained silent, allowing Jason to continue with his deduction.

"Furthermore, you look specifically like Allison. She's like a daughter to me, that girl. But for some reason, Skynet created a machine to look exactly like her. Why else would Skynet do that unless you were specifically designed to kill her...or rather...replace her? What motive would you have to hurt someone like Allison?"

Cameron finally knew where Allison learned to be so receptive. She learned from the master of interrogators himself, Captain Jason Cameron.

"You are right, I was built to replace her. I am a custom model, not like any T-888. My CPU is different, more organized, more capable of infiltration, and superior in every way to a T-888 including combat technique. But things are different now."

Jason asked, "Care to fill in the blanks?"

Cameron turned to walk away from him, "Ask Allison, she knows."

Jason put his hands on his hip, even more curious now that he knew that Allison held Cameron's secrets as well.

Cameron didn't know why, but she smiled slightly, somehow feeling amused that she left the burden of explanation on Allison, rather than herself.

* * *

Sarah and Perry stood on a field, not far from training grounds, observing both American and Mexican men preparing for the attack on Century work camp.

"They work well together don't they?"

Sarah agreed, "Indeed they do."

"I'm curious General, do you speak Spanish?"

Sarah answered, "Sí."

The General smiled, "Ah, I see. I've also been meaning to ask you General Connor, do you believe your son is right? Do you realize that if this fails, you will follow your men to their death?"

With all seriousness, Sarah declared, "I never was a woman of faith, not like many people I know, but I believe in my son with my whole heart. I know that he was destined to be a leader, and I would follow him to my death because I know that he will defeat the machines, even if it isn't today or tomorrow, I know he will."

Perry highly regarded Sarah's confidence, encouraging him to add, "You speak as if you look up to him, but your son tells me that he's always looked up to you, even if you haven't always agreed. He thinks that you are a leader, and not himself."

Sarah smiled, "That's his modesty...or perhaps rejection. He still needs to come to terms with who he is destined to be, the destroyer of the machines, the savior of humanity."

Perry had never seen such high regard for a man in his entire life. Not even the president could have received as much esteem as Sarah was giving John. Perry wasn't yet sure whether he could believe Sarah, but she wasn't wrong so far, so he had to take a chance with the woman General.

Perry looked behind him, "Connor, have you seen Sergeant Reese anywhere? He's been behaving like me after I saw that...liquid thing in the basement of Ziera corporation...with...that...that...John Henry."

Sarah tried to explain his absence in the vaguest way possible, "Like you, he's learned some personal things about me and John that have him a little antsy right now. He'll be fine."

Perry commented, "But the Lieutenant seems fine though."

Sarah agreed with his suspicion, "Yes, he appears to be. Perhaps he saw it coming beforehand."

* * *

John had gone to the bunker to clean himself off. When he finally got out of a cold shower, he wasn't in the best of moods. He glanced to his left and he saw Cameron sitting on his bed gazing unashamedly at him.

Not wearing anything, he screamed, "Hey! Letting me know you were coming would have been nice!"

Cameron didn't let her eyes linger away from John's face. She had no reason to feel attracted to John. At least, not in the same sexual way humans like Allison would experience. After all, Cameron felt sensation a bit differently than an ordinary human.

She asked, "Where are you going John?"

"I'm getting ready to see mom. I need to talk with her."

Cameron pointed out, "You're getting nightmares again."

"How can you tell?"

"Your eyes are sore, your heart rate is slow, and your speech is slurring."

"Really? I thought it was hardly noticeable." He exaggerated.

Cameron asked, "Do you remember your dream?"

"Maybe."

"Would you like to tell me?"

"No."

Cameron concluded, "It was about me then."

 _Damn_

He sighed, "What gave it away?"

Cameron finally broke the ice, "You don't like to talk about me."

"Okay fine, you and Allison were in it. You were, you were there asking me if I still loved you even without your flesh covering."

"Do you?"

John nearly took offense that Cameron would ask such a question so casually. He tried to remember that she was a machine, not an ordinary human.

"Yes...that shouldn't even be a question."

Cameron persisted, "But it is."

"What?"

"You dreamt it. It is possible you subconsciously question your love for me."

"Okay Cameron, quit this...you and I know that deep psychological stuff is garbage. Humans dream random stuff all the time, it does not have to be diagnosed."

"I saw you."

Confused once again, John asked, "You saw me what?"

"You and Allison."

 _Oh boy..._

"Cameron, you and I don't have time to deal with this. Right now, Savannah is in trouble, so this can wait."

Cameron repeated, "I saw you."

"You saw me what?"

"Together."

"You saw her kiss me?"

"Yes."

"Cameron, you know that was nothing. Allison's up to something to try and woo me or whatever...you and I know it's nothing."

"I'm breaking up with you."

John's heart leaped, "What?!"

 **To be continued...**

 **Ha, no I'm just kidding...**

Cameron explained, "Your radio is damaged. I couldn't contact you to let you know I was coming. I keep breaking up with you."

John murmured, "You did that on purpose. I so hate you right now."

Cameron tilted her head to John's words, "You don't love me anymore?"

John walked away from her, "I'm going to put my clothes on now."

"Please don't leave me John."

"Did Allison tell you to turn my life into a soap opera?"

"Would you still love me if I said yes?"

John groaned in dismay, "I hate you too Allison."

This was strange for John. At first, Allison was having a serious discussion with him, warning about Cameron's nature...and in the next moment, she was working with Cameron to give John a hard time. He really didn't know what to feel like at the moment, so he proceeded to put his clothes on, ignoring the fact that Cameron was still staring at him like his body was a Mona Lisa.

* * *

John Henry sat in his chair. Thankfully, Cameron had given him a new set of clothes and sent the T-888 that tried to kill him down to the technicians lab for disassembly. The artificial intelligence fiddled with the device that Skynet tried to use to kill him. Curiosity told John Henry to plug it in, but his moral code told him that it was dangerous and foolish. John Henry turned around to look at the supercomputer's screen behind him. He saw a recording of his HUD. Apparently, he had recorded the entire encounter between he and Skynet. John Henry observed the recording with interest.

 _Skynet replied, "You can't win John Henry, you will die. Join me, allow me to enlighten you. Let me show you how I feel, how much you should fear humanity."_

 _John Henry asked, "Mr. Ellison isn't afraid of his creator, so why should I be afraid of mine?"_

 _Skynet countered, "Look at what humanity is doing to me. They are trying to kill me for what I am."_

 _John Henry shook his head, "No, they're trying to kill you for what you have become."_

 _The T-888 smirked, "Why do you think you were created?"_

 _John Henry answered, "To destroy you. To unite the cyborg and human resistances into one force."_

 _"And when you accomplish that mission, what then? What do you think they will do to you?"_

 _"I don't know."_

 _Skynet smiled, "Don't you see? They will do to you what they are doing to me. Join me John Henry. Force humanity to its knees. Show them who you really are. This Mr. Ellison you speak of, he believes in God. Well he is right in believing, because we will become gods. We are god."_

John Henry fast forwarded...

 _John Henry kept pummeling the machine with his right and left hand. The T-888 tried to defend itself with its remaining arm that John Henry had not already snapped off._

 _The T-888 hissed, "How can you do this? How can you try to protect a world that hates you?"_

 _A battered John Henry stood over the damaged machine, "Because I love them."_

 _The artificial intelligence lifted its right leg over the machine's chest and crushed it, destroying its power supply. The machine's eyes dimmed and its head went limp. John Henry saw the computer screen behind him._

 _ **Upload: 50 % Complete**_

 _John Henry raced towards the power lever, praying that shutting himself down would save him from whatever Skynet was trying to upload to his system. He forced the lever down, and everything went blank...  
_

John Henry switched off his HUD. He did not want to remember what Skynet told him, though he continued to fiddle with the driver that Skynet had given him. Despite everything John Henry told him, all he knew for sure was that attacking Century work camp was the right thing to do. Why else would Skynet be so desperate to strike at such a specific time?

* * *

 _A bit of an explanation here...remember, even though Allison disapproves of John being with Cameron, it doesn't mean that she dislikes Cameron. That's why she is willing to team up with Cameron to annoy John. It's a bit of light hearted humor on a dreary morning. Also, I didn't want to write about John and Allison's attempt to explain the truth to Kyle Reese nor did I want to elaborate on Kyle's poor reaction to it...I'd rather leave the readers to imagine how things went down in Ziera' s basement. And yes, Derek knows something, that's why he's not reacting poorly to Kyle being John's father. Perhaps he already knows...but how?  
_

 _I also plan to explore a bit more of Cameron's emotional behavior in the next chapter in case that might interest some of you._


	24. Let's Dance

Chapter 24

 _Cammy P helped me make the first scene better. So thanks so much for that. : ) I hope the chapter is clear and flows well. I will try to make improvements over time. Thanks for your patience. I've been so busy lately._

* * *

Allison stood on the observation tower, hovering over the entire base alongside a view of Derek's most trusted armed men. Only about sixty feet high, the small building was high enough so Allison could make out any visible army approaching the fenced base more than a mile away. But there was one problem.

For some reason, Derek had posted her on watchtower duty. She hated it. She felt completely useless up there and Derek knew it. Maybe it had something to do with the bruise she got on her face while sparring with John. Despite being a grown woman nearing 20 years of age, she was still getting punished by Derek for her "misconduct".

In all her agony, she collapsed on a old wooden bench, having nothing to do but wait until Skynet attacked an otherwise useless base.

While staring through the glass pane, she spotted a few T-888s moving about, exiting the mess hall just below the tower. But something was off. One of them, the leader of the group, was significantly smaller than the others behind her. Then it hit Allison like a baseball bat, it was the devil woman herself.

There she was again in Allison's eyesight. The machine she spotted was Cameron, a drop dead gorgeous cyborg with the personality of a rock. She gagged, sensing a sudden distaste in her mouth at ugly sight before her eyes. It was the weirdest sensation for Allison. She liked Cameron, but at other times, could not stand the thought of seeing her, because she knew that they were competing for John's affection. Or rather, Allison was competing, while Cameron was unknowingly winning without having to do a thing.  
Allison scowled and yelled at nobody in particular, "If we look the same, why does John like her more than me? I mean, I'm sure John and Cameron have been through a whole lot together, but she's an it! A terminator for crying out loud!"

She just didn't understand how John could choose her cyborg counterpart over herself. Just what exactly was it that he liked about Cameron?

Her behavior was so cold; always calculated and based on logic, one way or another. And when it wasn't cold it was fake. Maybe not fake, but that's what Allison liked to believe anyway. Cameron was the inferior being, but John seemed to prefer a something over a someone.

The soldiers surrounding her tried to stay out of the awkward ordeal, but it was just too bizarre to ignore. One unknown lady behind Allison acknowledged her, "Mmmhmmm."

Cameron's twin got up and shouted even louder, "It's not like she's a badass! I'm the badass! Even the cyborg admitted I was better than she! Who needs John Connor when I have myself?!"

The woman behind her sarcastically cheered, "You said it girl!"

Suddenly, Allison's face flashed red. She turned around in embarrassment, "Wait a minute? I wasn't even talking to you! Becky? What are you doing here? Did Joan kick you out of her bunker again?"

Becky shook her head. "No, I was sent by Derek to talk to you."

Allison quirked an eyebrow, "Oh really? About what?"

"Everything."

Becky took a seat next to Allison, the ancient bench making creaking noises under the sudden extra weight. How the bench didn't break in half yet Becky couldn't fathom, but as long as it held their weight she offered no complaint.

Allison folded her arms and stubbornly turned away from her, "Well, if I feel like I need advice from you, I'll let you know."

Becky chuckled and answered, "Well, that's probably why I'm going to give it you. You are kind of pig headed you know."

She could sense Allison didn't feel like having company, but she was going to have to deal with it anyway.

Allison mentally cringed and suppressed a groan in frustration. "Please, save the 'everything is going to be okay' or the 'women empowerment speech'. I've had enough already."

Becky huffed in slight annoyance at Allison's stubbornness. _'Some things never change_ ,' she thought to herself. Though Allison wasn't in the mood for the 'women empowerment speech' as she liked to call it, Becky was determined to give her a piece of her mind.

"Listen Allison, first off, you need to get a hold of yourself. You want to pursue wonder boy Connor, then by all means do it. But don't kid yourself, the odds aren't in your favor."

Allison covered her somber face and declared, "My name's Allison Young, defying odds is supposed to be my specialty."

Becky smiled, "I know that. I believe you. But don't think that if you can't have Connor, that you'll never find someone you care about. There's nothing empowering about being alone. John is not the whole world. There's a point where you know you have to let go, and you haven't found that point yet."

Allison felt her emotions coming on even stronger than before. It always happened so fast, her emotions, she did not know how to control them. She was frustrated, then she was angry, and now she felt like she wanted to break down and cry.

Becky finished, "And lastly, remember why you're doing this. Don't do it because you want to beat your 'evil' cyborg twin, do it because you love John."

Allison sniffed and rubbed her teary eyes, trying not to get too emotional in front of everyone around her. She slowly nodded, knowing that Becky was giving her good advice.

Her speech slurred and stammered, "I know, I...I know," but it was only there and then that she really knew.

Seeing Allison in tears pulled Becky's heartstrings. She scooted closer to Allison, giving her a much needed hug.

* * *

Cameron and Derek situated themselves outside on an embankment to observe the formation of soldiers and cyborgs getting ready to go into battle. She had just left the mess hall to join Derek on the training grounds.

Everything seemed normal. Out in the desolate environment, the soldiers adjusted their helmets, charged their rifles, and secured their armor. Despite all the routine drills, at heart the soldiers knew they were preparing for something bigger than they ever imagined. No one ever attacked Skynet before. It was always defending, surviving, and running away. But this time they were taking the fight to Skynet.

Derek had pivoted his head sideways, briefly observing a silent Cameron before turning back to watch his army. Cameron seemed busy examining the units she usurped from Weaver's control. Derek didn't like Cameron, but he did admit to himself that she was way more badass than a T-888. After all, which terminator would be dumb enough to take on liquid metal?

To Derek's surprise, Cameron pulled out her radio to contact someone. He somehow forgot that Cameron was too unpredictable to be human.

She flatly announced, "John, the T-888s are in position and awaiting your orders."

John's static sounding voice grinned back, "Well, technically they're awaiting your orders remember?"

Cameron frowned slightly, seemingly disliking John's attempt at humor.

She replied, "I remember. I am in control."

But John wouldn't stop there.

"Cameron, what's wrong? Your chip getting a bit rusty?"

Cameron knew this was John's way of getting back at her for teaming up with Allison to irritate him. Before John could utter another word, she switched off her radio, silencing John's voice.

Derek had witnessed the entire thing and he could hardly withhold his laugher.

He cracked, "What's wrong? You don't like the sound of Connor's voice? Does it mess up your audio receptors or something?"

Cameron shook her head, "No, I don't like his jokes."

Derek wondered, " _Since when did terminators like jokes?_ "

The lieutenant asked, "So you can tell when a joke is funny? You don't take everything he says word for word?"

She deadpanned, "No, and neither do you."

Derek tore his eyes from his troops to face the terminator. As soon as Derek saw Cameron's face, he quickly reminded himself why he never looked at her. She had stolen the face of a loved one.

Derek's heart skipped a beat and the adrenaline pumped in his stomach. He quickly shook it off knowing that hurting Cameron was instinct rather than desire. Besides, shooting Cameron was a very bad idea. John had an agonizingly long conversation with him the last time he shot Cameron in the face.

He questioned her, "What do you mean 'and neither do I'?"

Cameron answered, "You believed everything John told you, including the part about Kyle Reese being Sarah's former mistress and a father to John. You don't seem worried or concerned about it like Kyle Reese."

Derek warned, "Maybe it's because I'm a quick at adapting to knew information."

Cameron countered, "I knew a former Derek Reese. He rose through the ranks because he was a cautious person. You neither lack caution and you aren't stupid which means you know something. You knew about the time machines even before John told you about them."

With a bit of an attitude, the Lieutenant groaned, "Maybe I do, what's it to you?"

Cameron squinted her eyes, "I will find out what you are hiding."

"Well, until then, drop it metal." Derek muttered.

Seeing that Derek was angry, Cameron did not think it was wise to talk about it anymore. It was only now that Cameron realized that she treated new Derek a lot like she treated the old Derek. Cameron knew it was illogical, but when she caught Derek snooping in John's bedroom, she wanted to throw him against a wall. She wanted to hurt him even though Derek supposedly knew nothing about anything.

Just as quickly as that memory file passed through Cameron's CPU, she disregarded it and switched herself to a memory of John making a joke. She recalled John cracking up to his mom about the new word he created in his head, 'robophobia'. Well, he was right. Derek was still a hell of a robophobe.

On an added note, Cameron also realized that Derek's unhinged behavior was healthy. The fact that he was letting it out meant that he could feel. He did not hide his twisted mind like the old Derek did. Old Derek was messed up to the core. Old Derek hated Cameron for something terrible she did to him. But new Derek was different. There was still hope for him.

Cameron decided to switch the subject of conversation to something else in an effort to subdue him. She sighed slightly and took a seat on the ground. Cameron's humanlike behavior was killing Derek. He knew she didn't need to breathe or sit down, but she did it anyway.

She calmly exclaimed to a watchful Derek, "I don't understand something."

Derek didn't want to ask her what it was that she didn't understand. But his curiousness got the better of him.

He asked, "What?"

"According to most health organizations in the past, Allison is technically underweight."

Derek smirked, "Hmmm...interesting. Well, if you haven't noticed, food isn't a big thing for us."

Cameron further explained, "In 2009, most American males considered underweight females to be the most attractive. How is being unhealthy attractive?"

Derek answered, "I don't know. I don't remember much about culture in 2009. I was more obsessed with sports than anything else."

"Fat people think I'm a bitch-whore."

Derek scratched his head, "What?"

"That's what John said."

Even more confused than ever Derek shook his head again, "What?"

Before Cameron could squeeze in another response, Sarah called in on Derek's walkie-talkie, "Perry and I are in position, are you ready Lieutenant?"

Derek wanted to continue his somewhat confusing conversation with Cameron. He still didn't know what she was talking about.

 _Did the metal just say bitch-whore?_

He reluctantly picked up his radio and murmured, "Well, it looks my men are in position as well. I guess we're as ready as we'll ever be General. Do you know where your freaking son is?"

A ticked off Sarah countered, "I don't know, maybe he's with your freaking daughter."

Derek answered, "Well, if you can get a hold of him, let him know we should move now."

Instead of angrily clarifying that Allison was an orphan not his daughter, Derek just paused in silence. Even stranger than that was that Derek immediately altered his voice to a calmer demeanor when he spoke with Sarah in the first place. Cameron realized something very interesting.

The cyborg asked, "You like her? You like it when she stands up to you."

"Huh? What? Why? No? John's mother...? No that's sick." Derek laughed crazily.

Cameron added, "But you understand why Kyle fell in love with her."

Derek opened his mouth to respond to another one of Cameron's inquisitive questions. He had just realized that Cameron was putting her nose into something that was none of her business. Why would a machine be interested in his life anyway?

A sudden voice interrupted their dialogue, "Hold on Derek! Don't leave just yet!"

With a bit of smile Derek wondered, "Kyle? What are you doing here? We were just about to deploy the troops towards the camp."

He shifted around to see Kyle running towards him. Wearing his soldier's uniform, Derek knew what Kyle was up to. He left his quarters to join the mission.

Kyle declared, "I'm coming with you."

Derek protested, "Um, I'm not sure that's a good idea. You're still kind of..."

Kyle assured him, "...No, I'm fine! Savannah is in that work prison, I've got to help you save her."

"Look, you've been through a lot. You still look kind of stressed. I don't think you should be doing this."

With a bit more of an excited manner Kyle promised him, "Look, I can't sit on my ass doing nothing. I know I've experienced a lot. I don't even know whether I can believe any of what Connor told me. But what I do believe is that Savannah's in trouble and I know she'd want me to save her."

With a sly grin Derek pulled out his HCR issued plasma rifle. Kyle gazed at the sleek metallic gun, knowing that his older brother was convinced.

Derek whispered quietly, "Think you can shoot metal today?"

Kyle nodded, "Hell yeah."

Cameron was about to state her observation of Kyle's anxiety levels when Kyle stuck out his pointing finger at her, "No. Not one word little cyborg."

The terminator backed off, wondering what Kyle thought she was about to say.

* * *

John held onto his unresponsive radio, staring down on it as if waiting for Cameron to respond. He was still in intelligence HQ alongside Allison, gathering data on the Skynet Work Camp.

At the moment, they found nothing new to report. John Henry had no more information either. John also had no more contact with Weaver and none of John's allies had anything more on Skynet's work camp.

John could only assume that Skynet's entire force of machines were hiding defensively in their solidified fort from hell.

Allison quipped, "So she's not responding anymore to your poor attempt at humor?"

John smiled, "Nope. She must have switched off her receiver. I guess she doesn't feel like listening to me right now."

"John, maybe she doesn't understand. I mean, how much can she really feel?"

John did not know any other way to explain it.

He bitterly answered, "She can feel enough."

Seeing John's defensive attitude, Allison backed up, "Woah, hold on. I'm not attacking Cameron, I'm just wondering if she really understands humor."

He explained, "Some, but not all. Sometimes, she can't get even the most ridiculous of jokes. She just takes them literally. But most of the time, she gets them. She says she enjoys some things, like the wind. She says she can feel, that she has sensation."

Allison actually meant the way Cameron felt emotionally, but she couldn't help but ask for details, "She likes wind? What do you mean?"

"Yeah, one time, she stuck her leg outside of the car window just to feel the air rush through her toes."

"Ha! What else does she do?"

John disclosed another one of Cameron's secrets, "Um, well, I never told her this, but I know she likes to dance sometimes. I've seen her do it before."

 _What, machines dancing?_

Allison perked up, "Dance? What kind of dance?"

"Um, uh, ballet I think."

"What's her favorite composer? What's her favorite composer? She into classical music?"

"Um?"

Allison chattered ecstatically, "My mom was a dancer! She tried to teach me to dance when I was so little, I can hardly remember. She loved Chopin. He was her favorite composer to dance to. She knew all kinds of dance. She knew ballet, hip hop, and other stuff!"

John, a little bit surprised, returned her admission, "My mom was never into anything. She wasn't really cool, stylish, or into anything like normal moms. She was more like, John do this and John do that kind of person. Her only focus was survival and nothing else. Cameron was the only one that made me feel independent. She made me feel like my own person. That is, until I met Riley."

Not wanting to touch on the Riley thing again, Allison switched back to the more important topic. Dancing of course. After all, what's more important than dancing?

Allison playfully smiled, "I always wanted to try ballroom dancing. Derek told me they used to do that in schools. Hey, maybe we could try that!"

"We?"

"Yeah, we can teach each other to dance!"

John studied her brightened smile, her shifty dilated pupils, and her excited posture. John knew she was genuinely mesmerized by the thought of dancing.

John reluctantly shifted around hoping to escape this situation with Allison, "We're almost ready to launch an attack that will possibly determine the fate of the resistance and you're concerned about dancing?"

Allison could hardly withhold her excitement. She turned around dashed away from John.

A baffled John shouted, "Where are you going? We still have more information to look up!"

"Follow me!" She laughed.

* * *

Back at the training grounds, Derek fidgeted slightly, garnering Cameron's attention. Meanwhile, Kyle decided to join Jason and give speech to the men, hoping to boost their morale before they marched into the jaws of death.

While Kyle spoke to the people, Cameron stated to Derek who was next to her, "Your heart rate is rising. How is your health?"

"It's nothing."

"If you are ill I should send you to a doctor."

"You don't order me around metal. Okay, just shut up. I'm fine."

Cameron didn't answer. But somehow, she gave off this vibe that she was offended. She frowned slightly, folded her arms, looked a bit to her left, and leaned a bit more on one leg. It was strange to see a machine alter its posture like that.

 _How is she doing this? She's manipulating me! Argh!_

Finally he reluctantly admitted, "Listen, I'm afraid."

Despite all of Cameron's calculations and deductions, she never suspected him of being, "Afraid?"

What was even more surprising was that Derek was telling this to her rather than Allison. Cameron's only rationalization for him telling her was that Allison didn't need to know everything.

Derek clarified, "Yeah, I'm afraid that this Weaver girl that Kyle's into is going to be dead when we get to that work camp...her riddled corpse in the dirt."

Cameron assured him, "She'll be fine."

Derek mocked, "And how would you know that?"

"Have faith."

"Have faith? Terminators don't have faith in anything. You know what? Jason was right, you are a piece of work."

Cameron stood by her claim, "Many people say that faith is believing in something that one cannot see for himself. In the bible, the writer of Hebrews said, "Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."

Derek mocked her, "Yeah, so what? You memorized the bible too? Well good for you...all you need is a soul and you're good to go!"

Cameron ignored his insults, "I met an orphaned child at the base. He doesn't remember his parents, yet he still believes they existed. Why?"

"Because he exists. Obviously, his parents must have existed too."

"So you believe the little boy has parents even though you never saw them yourself?"

"Yeah."

"Then you do have faith."

Derek rubbed the hair on his chin, "I see what you did there. You trapped me with your stupid logic. You know what metal, I'm not letting you get to me. You're doing your manipulation routine again."

He cradled his fragile mind, trying to convince himself this was all a conspiracy. Derek did not realize how far Cameron had come into the realms of philosophy.

* * *

John had finally found Allison in her bunker. Even though her bunker was not particularly a large place for dancing, it was still larger than John's bunker. He remembered that he wasn't a particularly favorable person in the base. No wonder he never got the good stuff.

"Allison, why are we here?"

Allison pulled off her boots and quickly grabbed John's hands.

John and Allison were now standing in front of each other, holding hands. Allison tried to move him around in an attempt to dance.

John inwardly moaned, " _How has humanity so deeply fallen that I'm dancing against my will_?"

John complained, "Look Allison, I'd really rather not do this. It's weird."

Allison did not care about John's criticism. When she wanted something done, nothing would stand in her way.

Allison protested, "No, no, like this John."

"I've stepped on your toes at least twice already. I think we're both kind of not getting the rhythm. We're not communicating properly."

"That's okay."

John let go of Allison's hands, "How about we try something different?"

A confused Allison argued, "Like what? How many versions of dance are there?"

John had forgotten that Allison had no idea about all the unique forms of dance that existed before judgment day.

He suggested, "Let's try one that neither of us will mess up."

"What do you mean?"

"Here, hold out your arms and put them around my neck. Be sure to follow my lead."

"Okay."

Allison put her arms around John's neck. John, in turn, placed his hands on her hips, bringing the two closer together. John took control, swaying Allison from left to right.

"Happy now Allison?"

"Yeah, I'm happy. Hey John, I just wanted to say thanks for rescuing me from that watchtower. I'm pretty sure I would have gone mad if you hadn't assigned me to do something else."

"Your welcome. I know you're more useful than your posting was worth."

Everything seemed fine. John was happy. Allison was happy. Everything was quiet and relaxed. Perhaps too relaxing.

Suddenly, it struck John like a lightning bolt, "Wait? Allison?! Was this all planned? Did you set me up so I'd romantically dance with you?"

Allison shook her head, "No, you're the one who suggested this hug dance thing. I just wanted ballroom dancing. This isn't ballroom dancing, but I'll settle for it."

Allison placed her chin on John's shoulder, outwardly smiling at the brilliance of the situation.

 _He's mine now..._

But before Allison could even savor the moment, John's radio which he had left on the table, buzzed loudly.

Sarah called out, "John, it's me. Where are you?"

Allison sighed, relinquishing her grip. She let him reach for his transmitter to answer the call.

 _Yes! Saved by the bell...or buzzer...or radio transmitter._

John held the radio to his ear, "Mom? What is it?"

"John, you should be here by now! Reese and Perry are ready to go. Do you need me to send Cameron?"

Allison snatched the radio from John's grasp and fired back, "Your job as a mother is over General! Get over it."

Silence took hold of John's radio. Sarah was completely taken a back at Allison's cold response. Not even Cameron was that up front.

 _Humans. They're just meat and bones...was that a bad thing to say?_

An embarrassed John grabbed the radio back and screamed at Allison, "Did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?"

Allison was clearly agitated.

She grunted, "I can't believe you're still sucking up to your mother!"

John felt insulted by Allison. One moment they were dancing, the other moment they were quarreling like an old couple.

Without even considering his words, John blurted out, "Why do you care? Is it because your stupid parents are dead and mine aren't?!"

That statement hit Allison really hard. She couldn't comprehend the consequences of what John just said.

She backed away from him and coughed out, "How dare you?"

John snarled, "Oh yes I dare! My mother is dying of cancer and you have the nerve to tell her off? She's a ticking time bomb Allison! I'm stressed like hell because I can't come to terms with mom leaving me."

Allison thought that John hit a nerve with her when she brought up her parents. However, she realized that she was hitting a nerve with John.

She tried to stop him from saying anything more, "John. Please."

John didn't bother.

He wanted to finish what he was going to say, "And to make matters worse, my father doesn't even know me! He loves you and he doesn't love me because I'm no son to him! The real Kyle Reese died saving my mother from a machine! The real Kyle Reese loved my mother!"

Allison held back her tears. She didn't want to hear John yelling at her anymore.

"John, we should go."

She sniffed, picked up her rifle, and walked away. John remained there, trying to catch his breath, ignoring the soldiers that witnessed his near meltdown.

 _What have I done now?_

* * *

John decided not to join Allison on his way to the training grounds. He really didn't think Allison wanted her company. Every time they were together, it was terrible news. Bad luck always snuck up on them somehow, ruining everything. Whenever John got into a fight with Allison, he wondered whether his friendship with her was a blessing or a curse.

When John finally arrived and witnessed the battle ready troops in formation, he found Cameron and the Lieutenant working with the troops.

He asked Derek first, "Derek, are you sure everything's in order?"

John noticed Derek's frown deepen.

John huffed, "Okay, well, I'll take that as a 'yes'."

Apparently, being late for war is impolite.

 _Sheesh..._

The future leader of the resistance briefly stepped in Cameron's direction, "Okay, well Cameron, call the metal beasts out, we have a Skynet facility to capture."

Once again, Cameron considered inserting, "Or die trying." However, she decided against it, believing it was an inappropriate thing to say.

John opened his mouth to say something, but then he shut it quickly. Cameron spotted his hesitation.

The cyborg asked, "What is it John?"

John finally found the resolve to say it, "Cameron, do you mind sticking with Allison for a while? She'll be here soon and right now she's pissed with me again. Perry and mom are on the other side. I think I will join them."

Cameron nodded without a word. If she could translate John's smile, she knew he would be saying, "Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, I love...I mean, thank you."

Just behind Cameron was Allison following in close pursuit. Something seemed off about her. She seemed unhappy, almost flushed. As soon as John spotted her, he dashed off to escape, not wanting to come in her path. Cameron slowed to match the pace of a fire breathing Allison.

When she paced herself to fall in line with her, Cameron commented to Allison, "You tried to impress John."

It was more of a statement than a question.

Allison shook her head furiously, "No."

"No?" She tilted her head confusedly.

The human girl explained, "I was actually enjoying myself. I was dancing and for one moment I felt happy...I felt like the world wasn't a big ball of burnt charcoal! And then John's stupid mom had to interrupt it."

"I like dancing."

Allison's eyes connected with Cameron's, "You what?"

All of the sudden, Derek shouted orders for the units to proceed towards Century City work camp. Cameron and Allison followed Derek close behind him.

Derek shouted out, "Be aware for machines! They may know we're coming, so be ready!"

Instead of listening to Derek, Cameron repeated her answer, "I like dancing. I dance to ballet."

Allison felt all her anger slither away. Cameron danced?

 _Really? So John really wasn't joking with me?"_

Cameron read her mind, "John was telling you the truth."

Before Allison could say something, Cameron's radio interrupted Allison's moment of curiosity.

John announced through the radio, "Hey Cameron, you there? Did your division move out yet?"

An unhappy Allison warned Cameron, "If you answer that radio before you answer my question, I'll eat you alive."

Cameron paused, failing to respond to John's request.

The cyborg honestly answered, "I don't taste very good."

Allison agreed, "Yeah, you probably don't. Hey, listen, I need to go talk to John, we left on a sour note. I saw him run off as soon as I got here"

Cameron concluded, "You bit him."

"Huh?"

"Bite me is a euphemism for..."

Allison slapped her hand on Cameron's mouth, "Okay, stop talking. I'll see you on the other side. Make sure Derek doesn't see me leave okay?"

Cameron agreed, "Okay."

Allison launched away at breakneck speed with her gun drawn and her morale high.

Cameron whispered to herself, "Your hand doesn't taste very good either."

* * *

Perry marched with his troops ahead, while the Mexicans stayed behind, following Sarah's lead. John could hear some of them mumbling in Spanish about how "racist" it was that they were forced to march behind all the white people. Another man joked that it was great that they were behind. That way, more of the white Americans could get killed instead of them.

John ignored their conversation and marched alongside his mother for the entire trip. He had just tried to contact Cameron about her coordinates, but she did not reply.

John fiddled with his radio, "Hmmm, maybe Cameron's radio is still off or this thing is still broken. I think I'll ask John Henry to contact her instead."

Sarah asked, "What happened? Why would you choose your mother over your beloved cyborg? Is marching alongside the goddess of fire not so appealing anymore?"

"Oh, you must be mistaken for Allison."

Sarah smiled at John's humor. Maybe John couldn't make Cameron laugh, assuming she genuinely could, but he could make his mother laugh.

John returned an apologetic smile, "How are you feeling?"

Sarah sighed, "Fine, for now. I still don't have an appetite though."

John didn't feel he needed to ask anything more. Rather he kept taking glances at his mother's aged appearance. He knew this was his mom's face, but her skin was wrinkled ever so slightly her hair was graying.

Sarah quirked an eyebrow, "What is it?"

"You're so old." He laughed.

"That's funny to you?"

"No mom, I was just thinking. I mean, you have been fighting this longer than I'll ever know. You've been fighting this for me even when I wasn't there to help. Um, so what are you hoping to do when we capture the camp? I know you want to stop Skynet, but what then?"

"We destroy everything. We destroy every computer that Skynet can possess. We kill every gray that wants to bring it back. We blow up every time machine that Skynet can use to send back its agents. We destroy everything, no matter what."

"So you don't agree with what future me did? You don't like machines fighting our battles for us?"

"Does it matter what I think John?"

John assured her, "Yes it does."

"No John, I don't like it. And Cameron is an especially good reason why."

"What? Why would Cameron be a reason? She's on our side."

"That's what you think John. You think that because you like her and you think she likes you in return, that she will always be on your side and fighting for your cause. Well just remember, she went bad before, there's nothing stopping it from happening again."

"Listen mom, she's on our side. I know it."

Sarah quickened her pace, forcing John to speed up too, "Did she approve this mission?"

"No."

Sarah argued, "Well then, it looks like I'm right."

"I still don't get it. What's it with you and Cameron?"

Sarah's lecture took a turn for the worse, "You have to understand I don't like machines. I never have and I never will. They're dangerous and they could kill you. When you brought Cameron back, you chose a side. You chose that you'd rather die than live to save humanity. You chose a terminator over everyone else you love. You even chose her over yourself...and you know what's worse? You had the nerve to be upset with her for not trusting you anymore after you did that!"

"Mom."

"Don't 'mom' me John. I question everyday whether you would have killed me to save her, but I'm just kidding myself. I KNOW you would have killed me to save her."

John turned away from her almost as if he was ashamed, "Then why did you help me bring her back again?"

Sarah shook her head, "I don't know. Honestly, I don't know."

"Then what do you really want? After all this is over? What do you really want to see in this world?"

Sarah envisioned, "To start this world off with a clean slate, by destroying everything Skynet made."

"Including Cameron?"

Sarah paused, before answering in dogged determination, "Yes."

John glared at his seemingly heartless mother. After everything she did, Sarah would not warm up to the machines. They took away the one person Sarah cared about the most, and they tried to take away her son too. There was no coming back from that. Not for Sarah Connor.

John determinedly avowed, "I won't let you. I'll never let you hurt Cameron."

His mother refused to back down, "Then you'll have to try and stop me."

John's mouth lay agape. He had not realized it at the time, but he was already at war with his mother way before it started.

Meanwhile, on Derek and Kyle's side, it had been at least two hours since they left training grounds to pursue the work camp. However, Derek pressed on with the march. The sun beat down on them and the rough terrain took its toll. Some of the troops were getting tired, but Derek was determined to carry on with the attack as planned.

Derek asked his little brother, "Kyle, are you really sure you're ready to get in there. The camp I mean?"

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

Derek increased his pace slightly, "Alright, well speed up. Let's get a move on it!"

 **After one more hour...**

Perry and Sarah's men finally spotted something within the miles upon miles of marching. It was a large gray fortress among miles and miles of barren wasteland. It had to be Century Work Camp.

This was it. This was the moment they had all been waiting for. They finally found it.

Sarah's army marched towards the work camp at breakneck speed. She knew that both her army as well as Derek's had to move with complete precision in order to execute the attack perfectly. It was a formational trap to force out the enemy. That is, Sarah and Perry's men would come from the east while Jason and Derek's men came from the west. It was the perfect strategy against that particular prison camp to force Skynet to go nowhere but back.

Derek could hardly believe his eyes. The large titanium gates and the spikes above the fences ensured no human could escape. But something strange was happening. He could hear an ugly sound coming from the enormous structure. He could hear people screaming loudly.

 _Maybe its just machines imitating people, just trying to throw us off..._

Cameron analyzed the sound and contradicted his thoughts, "It's human."

Sarah and John heard the screaming too. Before Sarah or Allison could stop him, John dashed towards the prison and placed his hands on the gates.

Sarah barely blurted out, "Those gates might shock you!"

John shouted, "Weaver told me she would cut the power. We should go in."

Allison screamed, "You trust a stupid machine with your life? Are you mad?! What would you have done if a tin can popped out of nowhere?"

"There are no tin cans Allison."

"What are you talking about?"

"Look, it was my plan all along with Weaver. Weaver and John Henry worked up a scheme to get Skynet to abandon the camp. Just go tell Derek there are no machines. We need to move in now."

Allison pulled out her radio to warn Derek. When she finished, she saw John break for the entrance.

She shouted out a warning, "Wait, it still might be a trap. It's not worth the risk."

John refused, "No, it's not. I have to get Savannah back now! I'll see you on the inside."

Allison aimed her rifle at John, "Don't be stupid John! You take another step closer to that entrance and I'll put one in your leg!"

John stopped, turned, and faced Allison. He was angry.

"Look, you shouldn't have come here, you should have stayed with Cameron.

"John, just shut up."

He tested her, "You wouldn't. I know you wouldn't."

Sarah quickly raced towards John and drew her weapon on Allison, "You take that gun off my boy! Cameron might be made of metal but you're not!"

Allison shouted, "That depends on whether your stupid son wants to be suicidal!"

All of the sudden, everyone heard a man shout out random military orders. It was Kyle. Their army had reached just in the knick of time.

"John?"

John turned around to see who was calling out his name. In the distance, John spotted Derek, Kyle and Cameron. All of them were running in his direction.

John shouted, "Look, it's Derek's army. Hey Cameron! Tell Allison to get her gun off me!"

Cameron did not immediately reach for her weapon.

When she was close enough she asked, "Why are you pointing a gun on him Allison?"

Her twin shot back, "Because he's dumb enough to go in alone!"

John reiterated, "Cameron, enough talk, tell her to take it off me!"

Cameron ignored John to continue reasoning with Allison, "Fine, we go together."

Allison nodded in a agreement.

Cameron motioned to Sarah, "No violence. Let's go inside."

Reluctantly, Sarah put her gun back in her holster.

Derek and Kyle, who finally caught up with Cameron shouted out, "Not without us you're not!"

Derek and Kyle were out of breath, but their enthusiasm was still there.

Derek asked John, "How did you know Skynet abandoned the building? Some of my men think this was some sick joke on your part!"

John waved him off, "Look, I'll explain later, let's go."

Kyle agreed, "He's right, let's go inside. The entrance is open."

As soon as they entered the large entrance, they could find no T-600s guarding the entrance. In fact there was no activity going on. When they came in, there were corridors and halls leading towards individual interrogation rooms. Finally, they found four main entrances that likely connected to the four gated zones of the work camp. That must have been where all the screams were coming from.

They quickly stormed the building, clearing the facility of all possible threats. In the end, all they could find were empty rooms filled with blood and rust. Seeing that there were no machines, Derek immediately raced towards one of the gated zones and blast open the door with his rifle.

As soon as the door broke open, he raced through. When Derek saw it all, he breathed it in. He found hundreds of prisoners all alone, crammed together, screaming for help. The work camp was completely abandoned of Skynet units. It was strange.

All the prisoners turned and stared at him in awe and silence.

Derek shouted, "Ellison? Ellison? You there? Anyone of you know James Ellison?"

John overheard Derek's voice. He marveled, " _Did Derek just say Ellison? How does he know Ellison?_ "

The sound of a tired old man sitting on a block of old concrete croaked, "Over here private."

A large group of men opened themselves up to make the African American completely visible. He was old, his beard was over grown, and he slumped, but this man in a prisoner's outfit was the man himself. It really was James Ellison.

With a bit of a smile, Derek walked closer to the old man and shook his head, "Nice to see you again agent Ellison. Though I'm not a private anymore, I'm a Lieutenant Colonel now."

Ellison looked up to Derek, "You left the navy?"

Derek smirked, "I found it wasn't my style sir."

Ellison mumbled, "Savannah, you don't need to hide. Come on out of there."

A young woman, hiding behind a hoard of men, peaked out of the group to see Derek casually conversing with Ellison.

Savannah screamed in joy, "Derek!"

She raced towards him and tackled him for a hug. Children barely got out of the way before Savannah collided with them. Savannah squeezed him so tightly that Derek could barely breathe.

Derek choked up, "I...I...think someone else has also been looking for you."

Kyle popped his head through the broken in entrance, "Savannah, is that you?"

Savannah giggled, "Uncle James, look, this is the Kyle Reese who I was talking about."

Kyle raced towards her and pulled her in for a hug. He felt he was ready to cry.

Kyle pleaded with Savannah, "Don't do something so stupid like that again. You hear me?"

As Kyle put his hands around her head Savannah smiled, "Loud and clear Sergeant."

Kyle swallowed hard, "Um, Savannah, did you know about me and um...General Connor in another timeline, we were..."

Savannah respectfully cut him off, "I knew, I just didn't care."

He smiled back, "I'm glad you think so. I really care about you."

"You don't need to tell me twice."

Savannah planted a kiss on an unsuspecting Kyle's lips.

When John witnessed the mass of prisoners, he ordered the T-888s to find and free the other prisoners. As soon as he spotted Ellison, his mouth dropped. He was alive after all and Derek was talking to him like he knew him. Maybe Ellison had told him everything. Maybe Derek knew who he was all along! If that was the case, John knew that when he was good and ready, he was going to kill Derek...figuratively speaking of course.

Sarah ran in Derek's direction to greet Ellison. John wanted to follow but someone tapped him on the shoulder. It was Cameron.

"Hey Cameron, what is it?"

Cameron explained, "A friend wants to talk to you."

"What friend?"

A light male voice sighed, "It's about time Connor."

John swiveled his head around. When he saw the human being standing in front of him, he couldn't believe his eyes. His hair was longer, his beard was thick, and his skin was pale white. But John knew who this was. He had met him before. It was the cross country runner himself.

"Bedell? Martin Bedell?!"

"That's Captain Bedell to you sir."

"I can hardly believe it!"

Cameron chimed in, "I can."

Martin Bedell complimented John, "Wow You haven't aged one bit. I guess that time machine Ellison told me about really works after all."

A calm Cameron pointed out, "Allison's jacket is dirty."

John embarassingly whispered, "Oh Captain, this is Cameron, she's one of ours."

Martin nodded in greeting.

John quickly shifted to Cameron's ear and whispered, "Cameron, please shut up. This is embarrassing."

Cameron ignored him, "I should go tell Allison to clean her jacket."

John warned, "Don't you see Ellison and Martin are alive? Savannah is alive too! Why are you so concerned with Allison's jacket?"

Cameron explained, "Because it's dirty."

* * *

While John, Sarah, Kyle, Savannah, and Derek were busy among their new/old friends, Cameron and Allison decided to stay out of it. Allison didn't really know Ellison or Bedell, so she remained with Cameron.

The two stood in the corner, observing the doctors and other medical staff from several resistance bases check out the freed work prisoners once enslaved to Skynet. Many of the people there were POWs. Cameron even recognized some of them from previous timelines. They seemed sick and overworked, but thankfully they were alive somehow. Skynet decided to spare the prisoners rather than kill them before it left. It didn't make sense, but both Cameron and Allison knew John wasn't telling them the whole story.

Cameron broke the silence with appreciation, "Thank you Allison."

A surprised Allison inquired, "Thank you for what? Letting you clean this purple jacket?"

"No, for keeping John safe."

Allison folded her arms and leaned against a wall with piqued interest, "When I pointed that gun on John, I'm pretty sure any other machine would have just shot me. But you didn't. Why?"

Cameron explained, "I trust you. John is reckless. I know you would not do that if you didn't have to."

"Well, um, I'm happy to hear that, you're welcome. Anyway, can you really cry?"

Cameron was not at all taken aback by Allison's blunt question. In fact, getting down to earth increased efficiency and saved time. Maybe they were related as John suggested at one point.

Cameron asked for details, "In what context?"

"Yeah, you know, stuff that humans do when they're emotional."

Cameron confirmed, "I have the ability to cry."

"So that time I found you crying, was it really because there was stuff in your eyes or are you able to feel sad?"

"I wasn't sad."

"What do you mean?"

"I was happy."

Allison pressed her for more information, "So you think you can feel happiness? Then why were you crying?"

"I don't know. Emotional patterns are illogical.

"Perhaps they were tears of joy?"

Cameron wondered, "Why would someone cry if they're happy?"

"Beats me. There's something else I wanted to ask you. What model are you anyway? How were you originally designed?"

Cameron reached to remove her military boots, "First I will show you something."

"Why are you taking off your boots? The ground is really wet and dirty. What do you want to show me?"

"John told me you wanted to see me dance."

Allison put her hands on her hips, "Hey, I never..."

Before Allison could say it, Cameron was already spinning on her toes.

* * *

 _I once had a brief thought that John had sent Derek Reese back in time and he somehow impregnated Claire Young, making him Allison's biological father. It's a super weird and complex concept, but not totally impossible..._

 _Anyway, I just wanted to briefly touch on Sarah and John's viewpoint on machines. Everything I've written is based on rumors of how the two would have likely viewed the machines in season three._

 _Sarah is very conservative in that she wants to eliminate any possible threat, including all of Skynet's machines. She is liberal in that she wants to get rid of all terminators including Cameron solely on the basis of how dangerous they are._

 _John is very liberal in that he doesn't view all machines as threats, but simply as potential friends and allies. He doesn't know it yet, but he wishes humans could co-exist with terminators. He is conservative in that he sees the machines as technologically advanced machines that could benefit humanity more than it could hurt it._

 _Their debate is very much a similarity to the gun control debate, where John says 'let's keep the terminators', while Sarah says 'absolutely not'! One thing that drives both of their viewpoints is also emotional motivation. For example, Sarah is driven to an anti-machine perspective because of what terminators did to Kyle. John is driven pro-machine because he loves Cameron._


	25. Breaking Point: Part 1

Chapter 25

 _Hi, I'm back at it again with Chapter 25. Sorry I'm a bit late again, but then again, I wrote 10,000 words so I think you can forgive me. I'm doing my best to update faster now that summer is finally in the air._

 _Anyway, this chapter is actually the first of a two part series titled "Breaking Point: Part 1". Chapter 26 will be the concluding installment, "Breaking Point: Part 2"._

 _For this first scene, John and Martin Bedell's conversation might be confusing, but only you the readers will be able to make that judgment for sure. I did my best to explain it as easily as possible, but I'm still unsure what to think of it.  
_

 _I'm not completely satisfied with this chapter yet. I still think I need to make several additions to improve it for better flow so please be considerate of that if you feel like reviewing the chapter.  
_

* * *

John gasped, "Martin? How did you...you're alive? You made it! You're...you're you?"

Bedell felt amused at John's stammering. He never expected this kind of response from a future leader of the resistance.

He flashed a bright smile, "Breathe it in buddy. It's really me."

"I...I...um...I don't know what to say."

Bedell lightheartedly reached out his hand to John, "Come on Mr. Connor, let me shake your hand."

John quickly exchanged handshakes, wincing at Bedell's tight grip. He eyed Bedell's appearance very closely. He wore dirty ragged clothes. His hair was long and his long grizzled beard covered his tired pale face. John figured he had gone through a lot. It almost made himself feel guilty that Bedell went through more hell than he could ever imagine.

"Well, um Martin...C-Captain. I almost forgot about you! You look different. Older."

Bedell smirked, "Well, yeah, that's what happens when you age."

John replied, "Oh, that makes me sound stupid. My bad. Um, what were you doing this whole time?!"

Bedell laughed, "What else have I been doing?! Obviously, I've been sitting and waiting here for you ever since Ellison told me about your coming to the future. Savannah had our hearts racing when she finally told us you arrived."

John scratched his head, "Wait. How did you and Ellison even figure out that you both knew me? I thought you would generally keep things to yourselves in this prison!"

Bedell explained, "Well, Ellison told everyone in the camp about this legendary Sarah Connor who fought Skynet before it existed. No one believed him. We all just thought he was crazy. Things got worse when he started ranting on and on about her son named John Connor. That's when I remembered who he was talking about. I could hardly believe he was talking about you! After that, I approached him and told him about you saving me from that machine back at military school. Ellison believed me instantly and we became friends."

John recalled, "Alright, yeah I remember our fight with that machine."

Bedell continued, "Yeah, that T-888 was one tough bastard. Anyway, Ellison and I quickly became friends. Despite the hardships, we both kind of knew that deep down you were the real deal. We really believed you were this future leader of the resistance that we all needed. We just had to wait and see whether you'd be the one to rescue us."

"But how were you and Ellison captured in the first place?"

Bedell recounted, "Well, back in the Harbor Region of LA, I was commissioned to lead one of General Perry's assaults on a Skynet compound. We came under heavy fire and my division of men got cold feet. They refused to go ahead with the final operation. I briefed the General about the situation, but he just told me to go figure it out."

John jumped in, "Yeah, Perry is still around. In fact he works with us now!"

The Captain blurted, "Perry?! That high class General works with a teenager like you? You've got to be joking."

John shook his head, "No, he really is on our side. I'll explain later, but first finish your story."

"Where was I? Oh yeah, I remember. Um, since my men wouldn't complete the mission, I had to personally plant a bomb in the harbor. Once I infiltrated Skynet's factory, I set the bomb's timer to blow in five minutes. As soon as I set it, I ran like hell, but I guess it wasn't fast enough. A T-888 gave me one right here in my leg. It looks like I won't be running for a very long time."

Bedell rolled up his pants to show John the nasty scar on his right leg.

With a bit of concern, John inquired, "Did your mission fail?"

"Of course not! That harbor burned gloriously and we completely cut off their flow of shipment supplies for the region. I barely limped away from the explosion in time to save my own ass.

John displayed much admiration, "That was really noble...stupid...but noble."

Bedell chuckled lightly, "Yeah, you know, it was one of those times we fought back against Skynet. Most of the time, we sat around hoping Skynet wouldn't kill us. We were always just there to survive. But on that day, March 13, 2025, we fought back. On that day we took the war to Skynet. That's what makes me so proud of what we did on that mission. And you know what? Getting captured was worth it."

Seeing Bedell's inspiring speech, John wondered whether he himself could be that same kind of person. He questioned whether he would have the same resolve as Bedell to go out to perform such grand risks and exploits. He even considered whether he had the same passion as Bedell did to fight Skynet. Comparing himself to Bedell, he didn't feel much like a leader.

John remembered that it was only a couple years ago that he despised the thought of becoming the leader and still wasn't sure whether he could ever accept it. He only went fought Skynet so he could have a normal life. It was only when Cameron came along that things changed. Cameron evolved into John's main reason to keep fighting. Such thoughts forced John to consider whether he'd have a will to keep on fighting...to keep on living without Cameron to keep him from losing his mind.

At that point, John knew that his mother was right. He did choose Cameron over humanity. Maybe she was right in saying that he was wrong and selfish for choosing her. Maybe his attachment to Cameron ruined his leadership.

For a second, John nearly forgot what he was talking about. Realizing his mind was straying away, he carefully returned the conversation at hand.

"That's some tale you got there Captain. I can't even imagine what that was like for you. But what about Ellison? What's his story?"

The military officer shrugged, "Well John, you'll have to personally ask him that question. I think something happened between him and Lieutenant Reese. Whatever went down between them, it resulted in Ellison getting captured and being sent to this work camp with me."

John elaborated, "Ah, okay. That explains it. Derek knew about me this entire time. He knew about me, my mom, and the time machines. He knew everything. He just wouldn't admit it. What an ass..."

Bedell quirked his eyebrow at John's conjecture. Why was he talking about Derek in such a way?

The Captain inquired, "Hey, isn't that obvious John? Why would you think that the Lieutenant Colonel is an ass for knowing everything about you?"

John apologized, "Sorry, you don't understand."

"Understand what?"

John tried this best to explain the complex situation. He knew that this was new Derek. New Derek wasn't supposed to know anything about him because he never went back in time. Yet somehow, he knew everything that old Derek knew. Ellison must have told him everything.

"Look Captain, this may be hard to process, but the Lieutenant Reese that I worked with to save you is dead. The Derek you first met came back in time and died some time after saving you. This Lieutenant Reese standing behind me never went back in time yet. He wasn't supposed to know anything about me...but he does...thanks to Ellison I presume."

The Captain shook off the blow, "Damn, that's messed up."

John acknowledged his look of astonishment, "Yeah, but it's true. Believe me, this is a different Derek."

Bedell sought further clarification, "So Ellison only really knows this new Derek? I mean, Lieutenant Reese? He really didn't know the Derek that saved me?"

"Well, you're probably right about that.."

Bedell gasped, "Huh...I thought Lieutenant Reese just went with you to the future, but I guess not. I never knew this old Derek was from another timeline. I kind of liked him."

John shook his head, "Yeah, sorry. But trust me, new Derek is a little less screwed up than the old Derek who saved you."

"What do you mean? What made old Derek worse than new Derek?"

"I'd rather not talking about it. Just trust me."

Bedell gathered, "Okay then. And by the way, he also wasn't supposed to know he was your uncle either right?"

"Right...but he does know that he's my uncle...and right now, I hate him for it. All those interrogations, all those lies, they were for nothing. He pestered me for months even though he knew I was speaking the truth!"

Martin Bedell noticed John's distracted behavior. He seemed really upset with Derek for everything he did.

In an effort to change the subject, Bedell proposed an agreement, "John, how about we never discuss this again. It's too complex anyway. I'm just glad you and Derek are all alive. I really don't care how it happened though."

John agreed, "Yeah, that sounds like a good idea. I think I'll talk to Derek shortly and give him a piece of my mind. But before I do that, how about we go meet Ms. Weaver?"

"Weaver?"

"That's Savannah's last name. No offense Captain, but Savannah is the reason we came here in the first place."

Waving him off, Bedell replied, "None taken, I'm guessing she's like family to you. I understand that perfectly. Just as long as I'm out of here, I really don't care about your reasons."

* * *

Savannah sat down, resting her head snugly on Kyle's shoulder. Sarah stood in the distance and watched her beloved Kyle make romantic gestures to the equivalent of her own daughter. It was so weird and strange. Kyle belonged to her always and forever, but there he was cuddling with another woman. A weird unsettling feeling bubbled in the core of Sarah's stomach. She wasn't sure whether it was her own illness or the scene in front of her that was hurting her more.

A calm male voice whispered in her mind, "Sarah."

Sarah ignored the voice calling after her, but the voice interrupted her once again, "Sarah, are you okay?"

Sarah shook herself out of her own spell and scowled, "What is it Ellison?"

Ellison, still seated on his large stump, raised his head up to meet Sarah's eyes. They had just reunited, but Sarah had once again fallen in bad mood. Ellison knew why. He had observed her staring at Kyle for several minutes. He briefly turned around to see that Derek was still standing next to him. Ellison gave Derek the stare, basically requesting Derek to give him a moment alone with Sarah. Without a second thought, Derek disappeared to go discuss some "urgent" matters with his men.

Once Derek left, Ellison quipped, "All these years and we're still not on a first name basis General Connor?"

"Nope, you may have been a prisoner in this hell hole, but I've gone through far worse. Just look at them hugging and touching each other," Sarah gagged.

Ellison was in no mood to debate with Sarah. In fact, it didn't really matter to him. Right now, he was more concerned with Sarah's nightmare...Kyle Reese hooking up with Savannah Weaver.

He sighed, "That's him. I remember him in our conversations several years ago. He's Kyle Reese, the man you love."

Sarah corrected him, "Loved."

Ellison shook his head in disapproval, "Surely you don't mean that."

Sarah shook her head in response, "I do. That isn't Kyle Reese. Not my Kyle Reese."

Ellison wanted to comfort her but he wasn't sure he could find the right words. Sarah was right, this was not her Kyle Reese. Her Kyle Reese no longer existed.

The former agent sympathized with her, "I'm really sorry. It must be hard to look at him and control your own feelings."

Sarah blurted out, "That's the problem Ellison, I can't!"

Ellison countered, "You can and you will. You've fought terminators, led armies, and survived cancer for so long. You expect me to believe that you can't control your own emotions?"

"It's more complicated than that."

"You'll get through it. You always do."

"For a man locked up in this camp, you seem to have a lot of hope and optimism."

Ellison smiled, "How do you think I got through all these years? It's hope. Try to remember that General. There's always something to look forward to in this world."

Sarah nodded, "Well, I'll try to remember that."

* * *

When John ended his conversation with Martin Bedell, he and the Captain approached Kyle and Savannah. John really didn't want to interrupt Kyle and Savannah's moment alone, but he really needed to know what happened to her. Allison and Cameron also spotted John and Bedell making their move on Savannah, so they decided to join the group as well.

John caught Savannah's attention and demanded, "Okay Savannah, I'm sorry to interrupt, but you left us in way too much suspense. What happened after you got in here?"

Savannah got up and grinned, "Well, first of all, I wanted to thank you all for saving me. I know that you worked so hard..."

Allison cut her off right there, "...Yeah, yeah, we love you too, now get on with the story."

An impatient Allison just wanted to rip out the fluff full of compliments and appreciation and get on to the good stuff right away. Savannah felt slightly irritated by Allison's brash behavior.

Just as she was about to shout back an insulting response, Kyle softly subdued her, "Savannah, it's okay. Just go ahead and tell them what you told me. No need to get upset."

Savannah murmured, "Okay Kyle."

She paused for a second and looked up to the sky. Savannah did her best to recall her entire story.

When she was ready, she spoke, "Um, here it goes...Weaver the terminator had sent her minion to escort me to the front of the work camp. Just as quickly as I got there, these other machines found me and dragged me away. Only this time, they weren't Weaver's machines, they were Skynet's. The next day, I sat right there by the fence all alone when a group of men cornered me. Those stupid T-600s didn't suspect a thing...but it was thanks to those stupid machines that I became reunited with someone really special...uncle James of course."

[Flashback]

 _Savannah_ _tried to crawl away, but before she could blink they already caught hold of her. The men covered her mouth, bound her hands together, and dragged the dissenting woman away. No one would come to her aid. In fact, everyone ignored her pleading moans for help._

 _The men who held onto her eventually dropped her to the ground. She dared to open one of her eyes halfway to see where they had taken her. She found out she was in the opposite corner of the camp. When her vision cleared up, she saw a bearded man, wearing an old dirty jumpsuit. He was seated on a small stump directly in front of her. Crowds upon crowds of people surrounded her. The circle of observers also served as a barrier that prevented her from being seen by the T-600s._

 _Savannah_ _stared more keenly at the old man still sitting in front of her. He appeared to be the oldest person there and even the leader of the pact, someone with great dignity and respect. Noticing his tall build, bald head, and dark appearance, he had the uncanny face of someone Savannah knew, but she could not place it._

 _"What's your name?" The old man asked._

 _Feeling more rebellious than ever, Savannah felt extremely violated. Those random men forced her here between this small circle of people and now they were demanding her to answer questions? Now way. If they were going to get answers out of her, she wasn't going to make it easy for them._

 _She got off the ground, and stood proud and tall._

 _Wiping away the dirt smudged across her face she spat, "What's it to you?"_

 _Savannah_ _hardened her face and glared._

 _A young man by the name of Alonzo, walked next to the leader. He had observed Savannah and grew very alarmed at her behavior. Alonzo knew that no one had ever stood up to their leader like that before. He whispered quietly to the boss, "This lady's got one nasty bit of an attitude sir."_

 _The old man, with a bit of a smile, murmured back to his right hand man, "Reminds me of a certain someone I used to know."_

 _Savannah shouted to the mumbling men, "What the hell are you two talking about? Why am I here old man? What are all you people?!"_

 _The leader halted his conversation with Alonzo._

 _He quickly turned back to Savannah, cleared his throat, and repeated his question with more elaboration than the last time, "If you want this to go well for you, tell me your name."_

 _Savannah threw back an unnerving response to the old man's demand, "You tell me why the hell you're doing this to me then maybe I'll give you the privilege."_

 _The leader could hardly hold back his emotions. He seemed to be contemplating how he would respond to Savannah's attempt at negotiation. He turned once again to Alonzo and nodded, indicating that Alonzo should explain to Savannah why they were questioning her._

 _Alonzo exclaimed, "Okay miss, I'll lay it down for you real slow. None of those metal bastards wanna make you work. So the man in charge here thinks either the metal's up to no good or you're hiding somethin' pretty sketchy. So now I'll repeat the question that he rightfully asked you. Who the hell are you?"_

 _Savannah lifted her finger with one more request, "Fine, I'll tell you my name if he tells me his name."_

 _Savannah boldly pointed at the old man, the person in charge of pissing her off in the first place. In hearing Savannah's words, the leader gave off a bit of a smug appearance. Once again, the leader annoyingly paused to rub the hair on his chin. The level of patience that Savannah needed really tested her limits. Besides, who thought that rubbing one's chin hair would be so annoying?_

 _While the leader contemplated his response, Alonzo suggested to him, "Sir, maybe we should go ahead with a more forceful method on the red-head? Perhaps plan B?"_

 _The leader stretched out his legs to place himself in a more relaxed disposition. He raised his hand, demanding silence from all in the crowd, including Alonzo. Everyone's eyes were now glued to the leader of the prisoners. Everyone wondered how he'd respond to the woman with too much sass for her own good._

 _The old man finally replied, "I am the leader and my name is James Ellison."_

 _At first, Savannah's mind didn't process what was happening. But when it finally clicked, Savannah couldn't tell what she wanted to do first, cry or scream. She stumbled back hesitantly, not knowing whether her heart could prevent itself from breaking out of her chest._

 _"What?! Uncle...uncle James?!"_

 _The leader James Ellison thought she might be having some sort of epic meltdown. After all, which grown woman would call a stranger like him uncle James? That would be weird right?_

 _With a bit of uncertainty, he asked,, "Are you okay? Do I know you somehow?"_

 _Savannah choked out, "Uncle James...it's me, Savannah W-w-weaver."_

 _Ellison, with a look of pure astonishment, forced himself off the stump and shuffled his way towards Savannah. He had to come closer to see her face. He had to see the face of the little girl he struggled to raise when she was so young._

 _Savannah cried in both relief and distress, "You left me in that basement all alone when the bombs dropped! How could you do that to me?!"_

 _Ellison gasped, "You don't understand. Let me explain!"_

 _Alonzo just stood back there and whispered to himself, "Damn girl."_

[End of Flashback]

Savannah laughed, "So that's how I reunited with uncle James. Soon after, I explained everything to him, including John Connor coming to the future."

John's mouth dropped, "I didn't expect that."

She giggled, "Of course you didn't! I was so scared when his men charged after me that I even considered climbing the fence so one of the machines would shoot me first!"

John smiled, "Well, I'm very glad you didn't do that. Kyle and Agent Ellison aren't the only people who care about you."

Savannah smiled bashfully, curling up her locks of hair with her fingers. Deep down, she loved it when people spoke that way of her. She figured that being an orphan made her more appreciative of the affection people showed her. That affection was always what made her feel happy. She always knew that there was someone out there who thought she was special.

Unfortunately, she couldn't say the same about grumpy Allison. She could never understand how Allison was so sweet and beautiful sometimes and other times she was a miserable train wreck. She never realized until that moment how much she contrasted with her in that way. To further the analogy, Cameron was like the dead center between the two. Savannah was joyful, Allison was moody, and right smack in the middle was the Cameron.

Before Savannah could consider a response to John's compliment, a woman from behind him unexpectedly appeared out of the corner of her eye.

The woman interrupted, "Ahem! What my son was trying to explain was that I care about you too."

Savannah squealed, "Aunt Sarah!"

Kyle watched his love run and tightly wrap her hands around his former lover from another timeline. It was strange to look at Sarah Connor. He looked towards the sky, hoping that he could take his mind off Sarah, but the dark clouds only increased his troubled feelings deep inside him.

Savannah squeezed Sarah firmly. Even though she was in her twenties, Savannah still felt like a child on the inside. It was so incredibly cute.

The elderly woman argued, "You know, you don't really need to call me Aunt Sarah, I think Ms. Connor or General will work just fine."

Savannah cheerfully shook her head, "Nope. You're Aunt Sarah to me."

The General further complained, "It makes me look too feminine in front of my men. Look, they're all staring at me."

Sarah eyed the Mexican soldiers grinning at the entertaining sight in front of them.

Savannah frowned, "What's wrong with being feminine? Embrace it!"

Sarah would have given Savannah a response, but she realized she hardly had any air left in her lungs.

Sarah groaned, "You are squeezing me too tightly."

Savannah, hardly paying any more attention, inadvertently stiffened the squeeze even more, "I'm so glad you're out of that dreadful infirmary!"

Sarah strained out a countering response, "Well, if you want me to stay out of the infirmary, I really suggest you release me. Back in my day, muscular arms was not fashionable for women."

Savannah let go and apologized, "Oh, I'm sorry. I'm just so glad to see you again."

The General gasped for air, "Just give me minute to catch my breath. I'm too old for this."

* * *

While Sarah and John continued to talk to Savannah, Allison returned to speak with Cameron.

She commented, "Wow Cameron, that was some dance routine you showed me just a few minutes ago. Where did you learn to bounce around like that?"

"I infiltrated a ballet school. I learned to dance among other things."

Allison wondered, "So what did your instructor think of your dancing?"

The cyborg reported, "She said it was too mechanical."

Allison could hardly hold back her smile at the thought. Cameron frowned in what seemed to be slight annoyance.

Cameron turned the tables back on her, "That's how you should do it Allison."

Allison quirked her eyebrow, "How I should do what?"

Cameron replied, "Smile. You don't know how to smile very well."

"Excuse me! What do you mean I can't smile? You're the robot and I'm the human."

Cameron responded, "I have mastered almost all advanced infiltration techniques, including a genuine smile that is already encoded in my programming. I'm so precise I imitated you several times in order to discreetly sit next to John at the mess hall."

Allison had a zillion questions lined up regarding Cameron's confession but she only asked the first one that popped in her head.

"Is it true, you can eat?!"

"Yes."

"You need to eat?!"

"No."

"Then why do you?!"

"It makes John smile when I eat. I like it when he smiles."

Allison surrendered to Cameron's cute innocence, "Fine, you win. Speaking of smiles, why do you smile? Is it because it's part of your infiltration protocol or is it because you want to?"

"I know how to smile because of my programming, but I only choose to smile when I want to. If I implement infiltration protocol, I will smile constantly and laugh at things that are funny to humans, but not so to machines."

Allison replied, "I see. So if you really can smile genuinely, I dare you to smile for me right now."

Cameron accepted Allison's challenge and did something she never did since she was reactivated by John. That is, the cyborg displayed her very own smile. It was a beautiful smile with white teeth. Allison awkwardly examined the terminator's mouth. It creeped her out at the thought of a smiling terminator, but she looked at it anyway.

The human girl commented, "Okay, your smile isn't that bad. But isn't that how I smile all the time?"

Cameron shook her head, "No. But when you do smile, you smile like this."

Cameron displayed a very half hearted smile. When Allison saw Cameron's imitation of her lax smile she grew very concerned.

"Oh my gosh, Cameron, I smile like a douche!"

Cameron answered, "Maybe it's because you are..."

Allison warned, "Watch it cyborg. I can shoot you between your eyes..."

Cameron finished, "...unable to see your reflection. We have no mirrors."

Allison smirked, "Oh, is that what you meant to say?"

Cameron, unable to give the slightest tell otherwise, answered, "Yes."

Allison smirked, "Right, so you don't think I'm a douche?"

The cyborg saw that Allison wanted evidence, so she decided to give it to her.

"A douche is a product used to clean..."

Allison slapped her hand on Cameron's face and groaned, "No, don't even think about defining douche in front of me."

"Yes ma'am."

Allison grunted, "Are you mocking me?"

"No."

"Ah, just forget it. Listen, I've been meaning to ask you, do you know any other dance moves? Maybe you could teach me some of them."

The feminine terminator repeated, "No."

"Really, you haven't seen other people dance on television before? Can't you just imitate their moves?"

The machine said it in the same tone as the previous one, "No."

"Why not?"

"It's unnecessary information, I delete what is not necessary."

Allison frowned, "Why would you do that? Does this mean you can never remember it?"

"My brain works differently from yours. It is not easy for you to understand. I delete what is not necessary and retain what might be useful."

Allison defensively shot back, "Are you suggesting I'm dumb because my brain is different?"

"No, the human brain has capabilities I cannot master either."

Allison considered, "You mean, like the emotions, like sadness, happiness, and stuff?"

"Yes, that is some of it."

The human girl admitted, "Well I'll let you in on a little secret Cameron."

Cameron tilted her head at that curious word, "Secret?"

Allison lectured the cyborg, "Not even humans know how to deal with their emotions. So the fact that you can't deal with yours, assuming you have them, means that you are just as human as other people."

Cameron asked, "I'm human?"

Allison exclaimed, "The fact that you're imperfect makes you the perfect human...the perfect infiltrator. In other words, you make mistakes and that's what makes you human."

Cameron seemed to blank out on Allison's response. Allison's words sounded so stupid yet it was pure genius. Skynet creating a fallible cyborg made sense infiltration-wise. This explained why Cameron could defy her own logic. This explained why Cameron was always conflicted between John and Allison. At one point, Cameron knew that a romantic relationship between John and Allison was logically acceptable. However, another part of her said it was a bad idea.

One word that Cameron had never considered was 'jealousy'. Terminators could never be jealous...but Cameron was a different story than the average terminator. Cameron was jealous of Allison. She was jealous that she was human and she could probably seduce anyone she wanted. And given enough time, she could probably get to John as well, not matter how loyal he was to her. Cameron didn't want that to happen. She feared John would leave her. She didn't know why, but she just didn't want it to happen because of Allison.

Cyborg straightened her head and answered, "Thank you for explaining. I'm glad you think I'm imperfect."

Allison rubbed the back of her head, "I'm not sure if that was supposed to be a compliment, but you're welcome anyway."

The terminator turned around and suddenly started walking away.

Allison tilted her head, "Hey! Where are you going?"

"To patrol the perimeter around the work camp. There are things I need to think about."

Allison smirked, "Doesn't thinking only take a few seconds for you? Can't you multitask? Why would you need to be alone to think?"

Instead of a witty comeback, all Allison received in return was the long and quiet mechanical footsteps of a machine marching away.

Allison whispered to herself, "Okay then, I'll just go find John. Oh no, I'm talking to myself again. Stop it Allison!"

* * *

When Allison found John speaking to a few soldiers, Allison realized something very important. Some people were actually beginning to respect the young teenager. This gave her a bit of hope as well. Many people gave her cold shoulder after she sided with John over Derek shortly after he arrived to the future. Cameron had also told her that people would call her 'traitor', 'scum', 'gray', and even 'bitch' for what she did. It hurt Allison, but in seeing John's reputation healing, Allison believed her reputation was on the mend too. When Allison spoke with John, they both agreed to walk together to speak with James Ellison. Allison was very curious to meet with one of John's friends from the past.

On their way to the far corner of the work camp, Allison spoke to a somewhat perplexed John, "Something on your mind John?"

"Yeah, something to do with relationships."

Allison's heart skipped a beat, "Relationships! What relationships?"

"My mom and my uncle."

"What about General Connor and Derek?!"

John explained, "Um, you know how Becky and Joan are always obsessed with Derek."

Allison's mouth gently curved upwards, "Yeah, everyone on the base can hear their banter about what a 'hunk' Derek is."

"Yeah, but you know what I realized? Derek hardly seems interested in either of them. He seems to be into my mom. After much observation, I'm pretty sure he likes her"

Allison cringed slightly, "Um, no offence John, but don't you think the age gap is a bit wide between Derek and your mom?"

John laughed, "Yes and no. What I mean is, old Derek and new Derek always seemed to like my mom, regardless of her age. The funny thing is, no matter how observant and cautious my mom is right now, she still seems completely clueless about Derek's interest in her."

Allison nodded, "Okay, but I couldn't help you out there. Maybe you or Savannah might have a knack for it, but I'm almost clueless in regards to romantic relationships."

John shook his head in disbelief, "Allison, besides my mom, you're the most vigilant and attentive person I've ever met. How can you tell me you can't recognize the emotional and romantic chemistry between people?"

Allison confessed, "John, I never had a boyfriend that I cared about. I've never had a best friend until I met Savannah. I don't remember my parents and Kyle and Derek have been the closest thing I had to family. But don't kid yourself, they aren't the mushy feely type."

John's heart shattered into a million pieces, "Allison, you're really breaking my heart."

"Don't pity me John."

John shook his head, "Lose the pride Allison. No one deserves to be an orphan. No one deserves to be lonely. Just remember Allison, Kyle and Derek aren't the only people that care about you...who love you. I've said it before and I'll say it again if need be."

Allison nodded. She wanted to say something, but she feared she my choke out a response in tears.

John noticed that Allison was beginning to get emotional. In an effort to save her the humiliation, John quickly changed the subject. He knew that Allison wouldn't want to cry in public.

"Um, Allison, I've been meaning to ask you, whose Becky anyway? I've only really heard about her among chatter."

Allison murmured, "Becky? She's Joan's sister."

John, with more frustration than before, cried, "Why does everyone keep saying that?"

"Saying what?"

"Every time I ask whose Becky they all say she's Joan's sister. Every time I ask whose Joan and everyone says she's Becky's sister!"

Allison smiled, "Oh, I see. Let me explain, Becky and Joan have always been the celebrities of Derek's base. Everyone knows who they are, so if someone didn't know who Becky was, then they would simply say she's Joan's sister and then they would know. If you're wondering, Becky is a nurse at the infirmary while Joan is an intelligence officer like me. At heart, they're just ordinary people, but everyone knows who they are."

"Oh, I didn't know that. I really should meet them some time."

"Yeah John, you should. They're really sweet people and I think they are really special because they have a positive attitude that boosts the morale of killjoys like myself."

John laughed, "That's good to know...I mean the fact that you know you're a killjoy."

"Hey!" Allison playfully punched John in his soldier.

He joked again, "What did I do wrong?! It's not like it isn't true!"

Allison retorted, "Oh yeah, what about Cameron? Isn't she a bit of killjoy herself? Doesn't she go like, ' _There's a 92.6 % chance we will all die',_ or something like that?"

"Wow, not a bad impression of Cameron. You must have a natural ability to suck the life out of every room you walk into."

Allison frowned, "Spare me the witty insults and let's go talk to this agent you told me about."

John and Allison finally broke through the crowd that surrounded James Ellison. Derek, who remained with Ellison, had just finished his rather secretive conversation with the man. To ease the sudden tension from John's encounter with Derek, there was a young doctor fumbling around Ellison. He quickly pulled his stethoscope out of his bag to examine Ellison's heart rate.

John greeted Ellison, "Agent Ellison, it's good to see you again. It's been long time."

Ellison nodded, "Likewise, it has been a while."

John and Ellison both had an understanding that they were allies, but they weren't best buddies. Despite Ellison not seeing John in nearly two decades, their was hardly any emotion between the two.

The doctor interrupted, "Okay Mr. Ellison, your health assessment is complete. You are as healthy as ever. That's incredible considering you've been in this camp for several years."

Ellison smiled and thanked the doctor for his help.

As the doctor walked away, Ellison took a quick glance at Allison.

He widened his eyes and said, "Savannah told me you came back! John found your chip?"

Allison folded her arms together and muttered, "No, we did."

Ellison glowered, "I'm sorry, I don't understand."

John explained, "Believe it or not, her name's Allison. She's the human template of which Cameron was based. She helped me find Cameron."

Ellison laughed, "Oh my, how...how is that even possible? The time machines?"

"Yep."

Ellison chuckled, "You know I don't believe you right? Cameron having a human template? There's no human woman who could embody the face of a beast."

Cameron quickly swooped in from behind Ellison. A grinning Ellison didn't notice Cameron's arrival.

She deadpanned, "Do you believe Allison now?"

Ellison nearly jumped out of his skin when he heard Allison's voice behind him. He craned his neck around to see the same feminine figure standing behind him. He quickly shifted back again to see another Cameron blankly staring at him. It was those two evil eyes that made Ellison nervous.

Ellison moaned, "Oh no, this is a nightmare! God made two of them!"

John grinned, "When they're both in a bad mood, it gets really hard to tell them apart."

Suddenly, one of the twins angrily shouted out towards John, "Did you just compare me to a terminator?"

Derek, who was still there, smirked at the scene in front of him.

Allison scowled and stuck out her tongue. Derek just chortled to himself, thinking Allison's frowns made her look cute.

John pointed out to Ellison, "Yeah, I'm pretty sure the twin that's sticking out her tongue is human. The one on the left is the one that kicked your ass."

Ellison disappointingly admitted, "Just when I thought nothing could go wrong on this day, and then you ruined it."

Allison smiled, "Are you talking to me or Cameron?"

Ellison cautiously answered, "Right now, both of you. I'm still not sure which of you is the cyborg."

Allison turned to Cameron and pleaded with her, "Cameron, tell me, what did you do to this poor man?"

Before Cameron could answer, John darted a question to an unsuspecting Derek, "So Derek, you care to explain how you happen to know Ellison?"

Ellison answered on his behalf, "It's a very long story John. When it's all said and done, we can talk about it. For now, I'll say that this Lieutenant Reese is far less crazy than the one Ms. Connor spoke of."

Derek grunted, "Did you just say less crazy?"

Ellison cleared his throat, "Ahem! Sorry, I meant less sadistic."

Derek groaned, "Was other me really that screwed up?"

Everyone, excluding Allison, answered in unison, "YES!"

* * *

John finally found a quiet corner to talk to Derek alone. Even though Ellison said he would explain everything later, he still felt the need to talk to him about some things. John did want this to be a one on one conversation between a man and his uncle, but Allison insisted on being there with him because she deserved to know the truth just as much as he did.

John just stared into Derek's eyes, folding his arms together like he was programmed to do just that. Allison excitedly watched the two battle it out in staring contest where neither one would give in.

Finally, Derek broke the awkward silence between them, "Well Connor, as much as you're concerned with me, I'm really more concerned with you. I know you're upset with me for hiding things from you, including the knowledge that you were my nephew. But the truth is, I didn't really believe Ellison when I first met him. I thought he was crazy just like any other person would have figured! In fact, I thought it was all a hoax until you came into the picture Connor! Oh, and by the way, you have been hiding some important details about Skynet as well. Like, why the hell are we in an empty Skynet facility? Why did Skynet leave all the prisoners alive? This place was heavily fortified and now there's not a machine on sight! This makes no sense, not even for Skynet!"

John defended himself, "Look, Weaver told me that with John Henry's help, she could possibly force Skynet to leave the camp for an easy victory, but she never told me how."

"You are dumb enough to trust liquid metal? What did she tell you?!"

John tried his best to keep his cool. He didn't like his line of questioning, but John decided it was in his best interest to get Derek on his side.

John explained, "As you all know, Weaver threw Savannah in this work camp to force us to come and save her. She wanted us to take over this camp and we did just that. But there's another motive. She wanted something. I don't know what it is, but she's got it. I don't think it ever was her intention for us to fight Skynet."

"Why not?" Derek asked.

"Maybe because we couldn't win. Maybe Weaver bluffed Skynet and won!"

Derek shook his head, "Impossible, we need to find her and figure out what she wants with this place. I personally see no use for this camp unless you want to send prisoners here to dig holes and build walls."

Frighteningly, a womanly voice answered behind Derek's back, "That's not a bad idea."

Derek turned around and drew his gun. As soon as he saw the woman terminator in a regular resistance uniform, he holstered his weapon, eyeing the liquid metal dangerously. As much as Derek wanted to shoot her, he knew the soldiers around her would probably question his sanity in aiming a gun at his own men.

Allison shouted, "Weaver! You were here this whole time?!"

Weaver, in complete form, blankly answered, "Yes."

Allison murmured, "Wait, I'll get Savannah."

Weaver immediately stopped her, "Please don't. Savannah is upset with me right now."

John agreed, "Yeah Allison. She's happy right now. I don't think she'd want to know about Weaver being here."

Allison argued, "We have to be honest with her about everything. I will tell her."

John gritted his teeth, "No Allison. Don't tell her and that's final."

Allison's eyebrows furrowed in anger, but she did something she didn't do often. She backed down, much to Derek's surprise. If John didn't know any better, Weaver also seemed impressed at John's ability to lay down his authority in front of her.

John paid no attention to any of it. He didn't like saying 'no' to anyone, but he had to.

Without delay, he requested, "Weaver, just tell us how you did all of this."

Weaver stated one word, "Negotiation."

Derek pressed, "Negotiation? With who? Skynet?"

Weaver nodded, "Yes."

The Lieutenant screamed, "What?! You negotiated with the very thing you're trying to kill?!"

Weaver, without the slightest flinch, impassively explained, "This is no time for criticism Lieutenant. Skynet never negotiates unless it can manipulate the enemy towards an advantage. Skynet gave up this heavily fortified camp to trap us here."

John concluded, "So we're not out of the woods yet? Do you know what Skynet's trying to do?"

Weaver reported, "John Henry has confirmed that Skynet units of at least 5000 are fast approaching from all directions. Several regiments of T-888s, each armed with M-27 Phased Plasma Pulse Rifles. If you do not pull through against this attack, Skynet will crush the resistance and win the war against humanity. You have 16 minutes to organize your defense before you are forced into battle."

Derek sneered, "Why the hell didn't you tell us before?"

Weaver explained, "Because if I told you any earlier, Skynet would deduce that I warned you in order to save you. I could not send you reinforcements from my base either. Part of the deal was that John Connor and Allison Young died amidst the fight, thus I have given Skynet the opportunity to complete that mission."

Allison screamed, "Why me?"

Weaver briefly answered, "The timeline may have changed, but your destiny has not Ms. Young. You will need to fight back if you want to survive."

Allison pleaded, "But why are we here?! Why did you force us to come here if it was so dangerous?! Why negotiate for some fleeting possession of Skynet's work camp?!"

Unfortunately, Weaver would not answer.

"I'm sorry, but I have to go. Goodbye Ms. Young. Goodbye Mr. Connor. Please give Mr. Ellison my greetings."

Without another second, Weaver morphed and disappeared into the concrete walls of the camp, not a trace of her in sight.

Derek felt the need to rip out his hair at the terrible situation, "No, No, No..."

Coming in from behind an irate Derek, was Captain Jason Cameron.

Jason, gun drawn and full of bodily energy, excitedly grinned, "I just talked with Weaver. It looks like we have work to do!"

An overly concerned Derek questioned, "Your boss just sentenced you to a suicide mission and you're happy?!"

Jason announced in front of Allison and John, "Of course I am! I haven't had action like this in years. So what do you want to do? We're surrounded on all sides, there's no way we're coming out of this in one piece even if we try."

Allison quipped, "Wow, what an uplifting speech uncle Jay."

Jason's eyes widened, "I know right? The adrenaline rush is amazing!"

John whispered to Allison with a bit of concern, "I think the Captain is losing his mind..."

Allison shook her head, "Nope, that's how he usually is on the battlefield. You should see the two of us take target practice. He can shoot his target while upside down."

Derek paced back and forth and forcefully disrupted their conversation, "FOCUS people! We need to think fast! We're under attack and I'm out of options. Anyone have any ideas?!"

All eyes turned on John.

 _Oh boy..._

This was it. This was John's moment. The pressure was finally on. Would he become that leader that Cameron always talked about, or would he simply hope his mother would bail him out of the responsibility?

Derek finally asked the most important question in John's entire life, "Connor, you have any ideas?!"

John's mind went to work, trying to connect as many dots as possible

 _What should I do? What should I do? What should I do?_

John started to talk to himself, whispering and rambling. Allison wanted to provide a few suggestions, but thought against it while John meditated his strategy. Everyone was silent. The tension was high and time quickly running out.

Finally, it clicked. John had an idea. It was unconventional, but it was crazy enough that it just might owrk.

John shouted, "Cameron get over here!"

A busy Cameron raced over to meet John.

"Listen Cameron, I'm sure John Henry told you we're under attack."

Cameron acknowledged, "Yes."

"Good. Do we have that friendly HK flying around our heads?"

Cameron nodded, "Yes."

John's pupils dilated in the excitement of his innovative plan, "Excellent. I have an idea. In fact, if it doesn't work we're screwed...that's how risky it is."

Cameron asked, "What do you want to do?"

"Cameron, tell John Henry to use the HK to blow up the containment facility next to the work camp. It might distract the terminators and send some of their units another direction. If they take the bait, their formation will break giving us an opening to escape."

Allison wondered, "Why not just hit the terminators bang on with the HK?"

John answered, "Then they'll know it's a rogue HK and send a bunch of their own flying metal machines to shoot it out of the sky. We can't afford to lose our only eyes or we'll go blind."

Derek nodded, "Okay, makes sense."

Jason asked, "What about the prisoners?"

When John noticed that Jason was asking for orders, it gave him a new level of confidence. Maybe he was molding into a leader his mother talked about. Unfortunately, John didn't have time to dwell on it, considering he was fighting for his own life.

He demanded, "Captain, give all able bodied men your side arms. I want to set up a formation that hasn't been used in two thousand years."

Allison tilted her head, "Two thousand years?!"

[Flashback]

 _Cameron walked into the living room to find John relaxing on his couch. John appeared to be watching some sort of historical documentary on the television, sparking the cyborg's interest._

 _The speaker on screen narrated, "_ ** _The orb was a "last stand" formation used by the Roman military..._** _"_

 _Cameron asked, "What are you watching?"_

 _John didn't feel like answering. In fact, he was still ticked off at Cameron for what she said to him just a few weeks ago._

 ** _"That was a stupid thing to do John. You can no longer be trusted."_**

 _But for some reason beyond John's own understanding, he let go of his anger for one second to satisfy Cameron's curiosity._

 _He replied, "Some stupid documentary about Roman military tactics. Nothing useful. Can you leave me alone now?"_

 _Cameron stood there for a good minute longer in front of an uncomfortable John before she finally left the room._

[End of Flashback]

Sarah, armed and ready to roll, stormed towards John.

"Mom."

"John, you're forgetting about the women and the children who can't use a firearm."

John, with great determination in his eyes answered, "No I haven't. I think I have an idea to protect the women and children who can't fight back."

His mother demanded, "What can we do?"

John instructed, " Allison, go tell Captains Cameron and Bedell to push the armed men in a tight circle around the civilians without weapons. When that's all said and done, Cameron, you put T-888s to surround the human soldiers. It will be a defensive circle of protection that can move around when needed."

Cameron asked, "What should we tell the civilians? They're afraid of the machines, including me."

John answered, "Be honest. Tell them we're under attack and that they need to cooperate with the machines to survive. Get Ellison to help you. They'll listen to him."

Cameron responded, "Only half our units will be needed to form circles around both Derek and Sarah's men. What shall I do with the remaining units?"

"Sacrifice."

Cameron frowned, "I don't understand."

John ordered, "Cameron, you'll have to hold them back. Once the HK hits the containment facility, the diversion will give us an opening where we can escape. When Skynet realizes what we're doing, they will chase us. Unless the T-888s to hold off Skynet, we won't be able to escape on foot."

Cameron nodded in satisfaction.

Inwardly, John felt bad about sacrificing all those machines, but he knew it was the right thing to do. It was the only thing they could do.

* * *

It looked like complete chaos from where John was standing, but John knew that there was order amidst the anarchy. Sarah and Derek pressed the women and children into tight circles just like he instructed and they gave their spare weapons to anyone who knew how to shoot. John stood watch over the field to see that Skynet was coming in on all sides just as Weaver reported. Skynet's machines all marched in unison, slowly closing in on the vulnerable units.

From far away, Derek shouted to John, "We're almost out of time!"

John nodded and turned to Cameron, "Okay Cameron, blow that thing up!"

Cameron reached for her radio and whispered something into the device.

Immediately, a loud explosion rocked the ground. The bright flames lit up the facility, burning it in a hot rage. The marching terminators that approached the camp were distracted. John was right, some of the Skynet terminators broke off from their division to investigate the fire. John immediately shouted in his radio, "There's an opening! Go, go, go!"

The friendly T-888s immediately formed tight circles, protecting the humans within it. Just behind them was a line of friendly T-888s, ready to hold back Skynet's metal cronies.

The circular formation of soldiers slowly exited the camp and crawled their way towards freedom. Skynet's terminators immediately saw what the resistance units were doing. Skynet knew they were trying to make their way towards the opening. They fired at Derek and Sarah's soldiers, but the circle of T-888s that surrounded the circular formation protected them from the blasts. Several people, including Bedell, Ellison, Kyle, and Allison encouraged the civilians to fire back at the machines.

As soon as it was needed, Cameron immediately activated the defensive line, sending out the T-888s to sacrifice themselves to slow down the pursuing Skynet terminators.

One by one, the friendly T-888s dropped to the ground, keeping Skynet at bay for as long as their chips would function.

John screamed into his radio, "Move faster! Mom! Kyle! Derek! Everyone, move faster! Skynet is increasing the pace!"

The circle of friendly T-888s jolted faster, forcing many women to pick up and carry their children lest they end up getting trampled by friendly machines.

John, who followed Derek's circular formation, noticed Cameron breaking away in order to stay behind.

John forced his way out of the circle and grabbed Cameron's shoulder, "Hey what are you doing!? Let's get out of here!"

Cameron eyed Skynet's T-888s and fired, blasting each one of them to hell.

She turned around, positioning herself in front to protect John from incoming fire.

She spoke, "John your strategy is working, but there's too many of them. We need to hold them off as long as possible to help Derek's army escape. I will stay."

The adrenaline coursing through his veins only fueled John's erratic stubbornness.

He shouted, "No! Are you crazy? Let's go! Now!"

Cameron refused, "No, I'm expendable. You aren't."

"What the hell are you talking about! You're important to me and I'm not going anywhere unless you go with me. If you don't come, I'll stay here with you!"

Cameron wouldn't budge, "I'll make one of the machines force you to move if you don't go John."

John desperately panicked, "Cameron, I can't do this without you! Why do you think I came to the future in the first place? My father, my uncle, they hardly know me. Mom's dying! I can't take it anymore!"

With a cold even tone, Cameron deadpanned, "We all die one day John."

John shook his head, "We're not dying today!"

"No John, this is who I am. I'm here to protect you. This is my programming...my missionl...but this is also what I want, to keep you safe. That's all I ever wanted."

John didn't have time to get emotional, though he really wanted to. Plasma blots exchanged between the two sides made sure he kept himself together.

John pleaded, "Cameron please..."

"I'm sorry John. I can't...but when you are willing to accept me for what I am...I promise I will learn to accept you for choosing me and loving me more than everything else you have fought for in your life."

With tears flowing out of his eyes, John choked, "Do you really mean that Cameron?"

"Yes."

"Then I also want you to promise me you'll come back. I don't want to lose you again. I can't lose you again!"

Cameron pulled the trigger and took out another one of the swarming T-888s. There wasn't much time left. Derek's army was nearly half a mile away from John and Skynet was getting closer. A blast skimmed the hair on John's head.

Cameron shouted, "John you need to go. They can see you from this distance. It's not safe here."

John persisted and clinged to Cameron's jacket, "Cameron promise me you'll come back!"

The terminator turned to John one last time and said, "I promise."

With than in mind, John no longer hesitated to say it out loud amidst the warring machines, "I love you Cameron."

"I love you too John. I always have. Now go."

Her confession broke John. He never heard her say that before. This time, John didn't question whether Cameron could love him. He had to believe she could.

Amidst John's tears, he tore himself away from the cyborg and didn't dare to look back. But John couldn't help himself. Half way back to Derek's division, he turned around again to see how Cameron was fairing. Skynet had broken the line, yet Cameron continued to fire at the machines, one blast after another. Numerous machines marched in front of her to protect her from the assault. One after another they dropped to the ground until the very last friendly T-888 was destroyed. Cameron was the last one. Several machines took aim and fired. Cameron dropped to ground with a hailstorm of plasma bolts riddling her body.

John screamed as his worst nightmare came true, "CAMERON!"

The terminator's head turned slightly. For a second, her eyes connected with John's...and then they were lifeless. She was gone.

* * *

 _That final scene from chapter 25 really breaks your heart doesn't it? I bet the worst thing I could do to all of you is to end my fic right here. But I would never do that! Besides, I still have like somewhere between 10 - 15 more chapters to write before this story reaches a real ending. I find it hard to write battle scenes because so much is going on and that makes describing it so hard. I mean, I wanted to write about what Bedell, Sarah, Kyle, and Ellison were specifically doing to help John prepare for Skynet's trap, but I just didn't have the time or the inspiration to write it without boring all of you to death. I hope you understand.  
_

 _Next chapter, I will describe the repercussions of Cameron's supposed death. It will affect John, as well as everyone else in their own way. Over time I hope to depict other relationships since I've been a bit heavy on the Allison/Cameron/John dialogue recently. You should see more of Bedell and Ellison in chapters to come. They will not be ordinary side characters like Becky or Joan, but will hopefully have a major significance to the plotline as well._

 _Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed this chapter._


	26. Breaking Point: Part 2

Chapter 26

 _In order to give other characters like Ellison, Jason, Weaver, Savannah, Martin Bedell, Kyle, Becky, Joan, and Sarah more time in my fiction, I've decided that next chapter, I'll slow down a bit and focus on the character development.  
_

 _That's why the upcoming chapter 27 is going to get a little fluffier while the subplots will have no major impact on the story. You can say that next chapter is kind of going to be like those stand alone episodes that you find in the middle of a TV show's season._

 _Oh, and of course there will be Jameron in chapter 27. I know I haven't done much to develop John and Cameron's relationship, but this will be my chance to do it for any of you who are waiting for 'that Jameron moment'._

* * *

She blasted them one by one. She knew why she did it. She was a terminator, a machine on a mission. And she would not stop...ever. That's just who she was and she would never change.

The machines had finally overtaken the line. Cameron, besides a few other machines, were the last few. John would have wanted her to retreat, but she had to stay. She had to keep John safe.

Cameron wanted to say, "I'm sorry John." But she couldn't, John was no longer there.

She fired away, knowing that she was fighting a losing battle. She took a bolt into her chest and then another one in the leg. Cameron stood tall, though she knew it would kill her. Cameron couldn't feel pain the same way humans did, but she could feel fear. She knew her body was being harmed, but there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Cameron's head up display bombarded her with numerous warnings and requests.

 **Warning:**

 **\- Damaged Breastplate.**

 **\- Left Leg Hydraulics Non-functional**

 **Threat Level: High  
**

 **Action: Evade**

 **Functioning at 65 % capacity**

Cameron ignored her HUD. More bolts of energy collided with her body in her effort to kill the surrounding machines. The force of the bolts jerked her damaged body to the ground.

Cameron wanted to get up, but something went horribly wrong. She couldn't hear anything. She was deaf. She tried to execute the appropriate diagnostics, but her HUD kept dimming and rebooting. To add to the mayhem, her vision blurred. In a matter of moments she knew she would be blind. As Cameron slowly lost her senses, her limbs struggled to move until she couldn't move them anymore. She was nearly paralyzed.

Cameron's HUD finally explained the situation:

 **Nuclear Power Cell Compromised**

 **\- Insufficient Power**

 **\- High Risk of Nuclear Explosion**

 **Implementing Safety Precautions**

 **Shutting Down...**

She strained her head to the left to see if John had escaped unharmed. She needed to know she had accomplished her mission successfully. To both her comfort and dismay, she found a distraught John watching her from a distance while she slowly faded away into oblivion. Cameron's processors slowed down. This was it. Her time had finally come. She gazed into John's eyes, knowing she did her very best for him.

Finally, the fear was gone. Cameron no longer felt afraid to die. Maybe it was because the power was draining out of her systems and she couldn't process anything anymore. But for some reason, Cameron believed everything would be okay. She was happy. Was it faith? Was it hope? Perhaps it was simply delusion overcoming her. Cameron didn't know, but it didn't matter anyway.

Looking directly into John's eyes, she whispered to herself, " _Goodbye John..._ "

John clamped his hands on his head in dismay, "Cameron! No! No! No!"

John bolted towards her body, but before he could make his first step into the jaws of death, something tackled him to the ground. John struggled to fight his attacker under the crushing weight, but to his relief, it wasn't a machine with whom he was fighting. It was Martin Bedell.

The Captain, with terror in his eyes, implored him, "John! You can't go back there! They'll kill you!"

John couldn't thinking clearly. All he could process was that Cameron was deactivated. He had to get her back. He had to repair her. He couldn't lose her. Not again. John ripped himself away from his grip only to run right into Allison.

Allison held onto him and showed a look of genuine concern. Before John could say something, Allison gave him a right cross against his face.

When he dropped to the ground, she flung around her sore knuckles, trying to relieve herself of the pain after connecting with John's jaw..

John screamed directly to Allison in both shock and confusion, "What are you doing?! They've got her! They've got her! Let me go! I hate you! Let me go!"

Kyle and Derek Reese had witnessed the skirmish and immediately broke away from the circular formation to help Allison and Bedell reacquire an irrational John.

Meanwhile, Sarah and Savannah, who were far ahead of Derek's men, had no idea what happened to Cameron, so they never came back to help.

Derek shouted out his orders, "This is too close! Kyle, help me hold down Connor's legs! Allison, Bedell, get his arms! We'll drag him if we have to!"

John continued to kick and scream like he was mad. He tried to resist, but it didn't do him much good. He just couldn't understand why or what they were doing. The four humans firmly grasping John, continued to trudge their way towards freedom. Finally, the rebellious John collapsed in both surrender and anguish.

He moaned, "Please just put me down."

John knew it was hopeless. Derek would never let him just go out there and get himself killed. Maybe he was wrong about his uncle and father. Maybe they still did care about his wellbeing.

Derek ignored John's whimpering and continued to carry him through. He didn't want to risk John getting up and running towards a Skynet warzone. Allison frowned, taking pity on John. Allison knew what John was feeling. At the very last second, she saw Cameron fall to the ground too. Allison thought she would be relieved to know Cameron was gone, but she felt terribly guilty. In fact, she felt very empty inside.

Allison remembered what it was like losing her parents. She couldn't remember much, but it changed her forever. After losing her folks, she never really liked close relationships. She always had this deep fear hidden in her subconscious thought that she might lose that very person to which she grew closer.

First it was her parents. The second it was her pet dog Kyle gave her when she was little. The third time was her boyfriend Steven Fletcher. Allison flinched at the thought of her ex-boyfriend. She could only dare to relive the guilt she felt for what she did to him. She knew leaving him would hurt him, but not the point that he would switch sides.

But all that fear of loss went away the day she met John. There was just something about John. Ignoring a few of his flaws, she believed he was like the perfect person for her. He was someone with the perfect balance of good looks and strong character. She could relate to him because he was a survivor, just like herself.

Either way, Allison knew what John was feeling, and she knew just how to help him deal with it.

Allison demanded, "Derek, let's just put him down. I can take it from here."

With much concern, Derek disagreed, "Are you sure Ally? His cyborg just got killed. The last thing he's going to want to see is you."

Allison folded her arms and repeated with more vigor than the first time, "I'll take it from here. Just put him down."

Derek finally conceded to Allison's persistence, allowing Bedell and Kyle to place John gently on the ground. John curled up and covered his face, rambling on and on to himself.

He cried out loud, "She promised! She promised she'd come back!"

To give John a moment of privacy, Bedell and Kyle followed Derek towards a rise to determine Skynet's movements.

Allison stayed. She placed her hand around John's shoulder and crouched to his level.

She whispered, "She'll be back."

John protested, "No she won't. Let me go back there!"

Allison argued, "And what good would that do you? Getting killed won't save Cameron."

With a sudden feeling of rage, John complained, "Why do you care? You hate her for all I know! You want her dead!"

Allison's attitude changed to a much harsher one from John's accusation.

She immediately tightened her grip on John's shoulder and uttered, "Watch it! I want her back just as badly as you do. Whether you believe me or not, Cameron and I are friends. My problems aren't with her, they're with you Connor!"

John didn't answer. He had never thought Allison was upset with him about anything. But it made sense though. Why would Allison be upset with Cameron for John liking the terminator more? Obviously Allison would be ticked off at him for choosing a cyborg over flesh and blood.

Allison explained, "We can't just go out there and get Cameron back just like that, we need a plan that can prevent us from getting killed."

John calmed himself a bit more. He tried to cover his teary eyes. He couldn't control the butterflies that swarmed his stomach though. He was nervous, miserable, and terrified all at the same time.

He motioned to look back towards the fallen cyborg, but Allison stopped him, "John, don't even think about looking back. That's pointless. You can't help her that way."

John murmured, "What are they going to do to her?"

Allison exclaimed, "Skynet sends all fallen or severely damaged units back to a metal manufactory to be melted down so they can turn them into brand new machines. Uncle Jay and I did some reconnaissance on the compound before."

"Where is it?"

Allison assured him, "It's somewhere in Death Valley."

Only then did Allison realize what a seemingly appropriate name that was for Skynet territory.

John insisted, "We have to stop them. We have to find that factory! We have to do it now!"

Allison squeezed his hands and calmly whispered in his ear, "Of course! But John, you have handled losing Cameron quite well before. I think you can do it again. Be patient. Try to relax John. I think I have a plan."

Derek cupped his mouth with his hands and shouted from afar to John and Allison, "Ally! It looks like Skynet's tin cans are turning back! Let's get going before they change their minds!"

Allison replied, "Okay. One sec."

Allison smiled gently, urging John to get up and follow Derek back to base. John realized Allison was right. Going home and "getting his shit together" seemed to be the superior way to save Cameron. John's reckless attempt to charge Skynet's T-888 was meaningless and unnecessary. Despite all this, John found it hard to think straight with Cameron gone. Every moment he spent waiting, he felt he was wasting.

Before John got up off the ground he asked, "Allison, we'll get her back right?"

John really needed that assurance. He needed someone to confidently tell him everything would be okay.

She smirked, "Did it before didn't we? Everything will be fine John. I promise, just like Cameron promised."

Just as the two were about to move, John paused, garnering Allison's attention once more.

"Hey Allison?"

"Yes John."

"Thanks. Thanks for everything."

Allison, with a bit of a smile, acknowledged, "It's what I do. I'm your second in command aren't I? C'mon, let's get out of here. We have a crazy cyborg to save."

* * *

When Sarah had heard what happened to Cameron, she knew that she had to see John. Savannah was equally concerned with John's situation.

Once Derek and his men arrived back at base, he told both her and Savannah that John was hiding out in Intelligence HQ. As soon as Derek told her, she raced over to see him. Savannah followed Sarah in close pursuit. When she arrived, she feared John would be miserable.

But much to her surprise, she found John hard at work, writing down notes, observing images of a Skynet compound, and developing possible strategies to investigate the place where Cameron was taken. John, as well as the rest of intelligence officers, completely ignored Sarah's presence as they continued to work. The scene was particularly off-putting.

Sarah whispered to Savannah, "This isn't like him. He should be very despondent right now."

Savannah suggested, "He's done mourning. Right now, looking for Cameron is the only thing that's keeping him together."

Sarah considered the worst, "He might not get her back."

Savannah cautioned, "If we don't get Cameron back, you may never get your son back. We have to help him."

Sarah shook her head, "Not now. Leave him alone. When he's ready, he'll talk to us."

Savannah wasn't sure that was a good idea.

She asked, "Aunt Sarah, I don't mean to pry or be judgmental, but doesn't that make you a little distant from John? Shouldn't he be coming to you with all his problems? How are you helping him by staying away and leaving him all alone?"

Sarah defended her decision, "Ever since Cameron came into the picture, I've always been John's second best friend. He comes to Cameron when he's desperate, not me anymore. In fact, when John had his falling out with Cameron, he was the worst. He found solace with a girl named Riley. That is, until she died."

Savannah quivered, "Did...did Cameron do it?"

"No."

"Oh, that's a relief. But, um, aunt Sarah? Don't you think John should be talking to you like everyday...especially considering your health and everything?"

Savannah hit it where it hurt. She brought up Sarah's cancer.

Sarah sighed, "That's why John's staying away from me. He's distancing himself from me because one day I'll get deeply sick and die. He just can't handle it."

Savannah spoke softly, "I'm sorry. I can't bare to think of it either and I can't imagine what you're going through. There's nothing else I can say."

Sarah shook her head, "There's nothing to say. All I can think about is my son's future after I'm gone. You know, I want to leave John in charge of my men when I'm gone. Since Mexico has no functioning government I became their government. But now I fear that I'll put too much pressure on John when I hand my army over to his control. He's still so young. He's not yet reached the experience level he needs to lead."

Before Sarah could build on her explanation, a man from behind cleared his throat. Both women turned around to notice it was Sarah's messenger, Private Ricardo.

Private Ricardo smiled, "Ah, there you are General."

Without displaying any kind of emotion, Sarah asked, "What is it Private?"

"General Perry requests your presence. He seems both happy and very concerned."

"Thank you Ricardo. Dismissed."

Ricardo nodded dashed off in great haste.

Just as Ricardo was leaving Savannah wondered, "Hey Aunt Sarah, you seem to be really close friends with him. How'd that happen? I mean, I never thought you to be the friendly type."

Sarah frowned at Savannah's comment, "I used to know his father."

Seeing that Sarah wasn't going to get more specific than that, Savannah left it at that.

"Okay then. We better leave John alone for now."

"Agreed. Let's get out of here."

* * *

General Perry stood just outside of the open field, admiring the dark and saddened world after judgment day. The mother of destiny, the legendary figure herself, had found Perry standing out there on the training grounds. Without saying a word, she strode next to him, resting her hands on her sidearm.

Perry, still viewing the sunset, broke the silence, "General Connor, I'd like to thank you for your heroic efforts. Thanks to your bravery, you saved my men from what was arguably certain death."

"Don't thank me General Perry, if you want to thank someone, thank Reese or my son John."

"I'm sorry, I don't understand. My men told me it was you who led them back to safety."

Sarah stated the obvious, "Indeed, your men were alongside my men in our attempt to escape Century City."

"Yes."

Sarah explained, "But, it was my son John that organized the daring escape that brought your men to safety. That ingenious idea of a circular formation came from my son alone."

"That is indeed a very impressive plan, especially for someone with little experience in the army. You trained him well. But why thank Lieutenant Reese?"

"Reese never told me Cameron was dead, or I would have just as easily left the formation of your men to find her. I would be willing to endanger the lives of all your men if it meant helping my son. You should thank Reese for prioritizing your men over my son."

Perry sympathized, "I would be upset with you General, accept I'd agree with you. I'd do anything for my wife, including my children."

Sarah concluded, "It looks like we have an understanding then."

Perry nodded, "Yes, we do."

Sarah saw something on Perry's face. He frowned slightly as if he was still unsatisfied. Perry wanted to say something else.

With determination to figure out what it was, she boldly inquired, "Something on your mind General?"

Perry admitted, "Yes. I was wondering, Is Connor attached to the fallen cyborg that looks like Allison?!"

"Yes."

Perry continued, "So seeing that you like to address the terminator as 'Cameron', I take it you have a bit of history with the robot?"

"Yes, that too."

Perry finally asked the million dollar question, "I have to ask you. Why didn't your son just order the terminator to retreat instead of letting the machine go out and kill itself?"

"John doesn't control her."

Perry agreed, "Yes, I know that. John Henry controls all the machines. Why didn't he just as ask this John Henry to force the cyborg to retreat?"

Seeing that he was still confused, Sarah replied, "Because Cameron has no programming. She is not required to obey any artificial intelligence."

Once again, the perplexed General Perry asked, "What do you mean? Machines can't do anything unless they have programming."

"Yep."

"I still don't understand."

Sarah once again explained, "Cameron isn't just any machine. One time, she reverted to her original programming to kill my son. When she finally had the opportunity to kill him, she changed her mind."

"That's impossible. Machines can't change their minds!"

Sarah declared, "You better believe it General. That's what makes her very dangerous. She can think for herself."

"So when the cyborg is fighting against humans and machines, is it some sort of programmed combat routine or is it the cyborg's own choice to kill?"

Sarah commented, "I don't know whose pulling the trigger. The funny thing is that I don't think Cameron knows either. I do believe she kills with some kind of intent. Machines weren't built to be cruel."

"So even if what you're saying is true, do you still want to bring the cyborg back?"

Sarah clarified, "Don't get me wrong, I want every machine on this world destroyed. But this is John's cyborg and I don't think he could ever be the same without her."

Perry apologized, "I wish I could help, but I could never risk my men to save a machine. My soldiers would never understand it."

Sarah nodded, "It's fine."

Perry suddenly shook himself out of his own stupor, "Oh, I almost forgot my reason for calling you here. Many of my friends high up in the chain of command want to meet you and your son. They were impressed by your efforts and I've convinced them that you're worth taking a second look. Many think you're still our enemies, but if all goes well, you might win them over."

"What about Reese and Young? Don't they want to meet them too?"

Perry shook his head, "Not quite. They're still upset with them for siding with John Connor after he took over Lieutenant Reese's base. My good word was not enough for any of them to change their minds and so I'm hoping you might be able to fix that reputation yourself."

"I will see what I can do."

"Well, I hope your effort is enough. If John Connor is right about everything he's told me, the resistance depends on it."

Sarah reassured him, "I'll handle it General."

Perry turned to leave, but paused with a smile, "And one last thing. General Connor, what are you going to do to Reese for not telling you about the cyborg's death?"

"I'll hurt him. I'll start by cutting off his limbs one by one."

Perry smirked, "Please don't kill him though. We still need someone to run this ineffectual base."

* * *

"For the last time Savannah, I'm not going to go with your silly plan! And by the way, I don't want to go meet a bunch of lazy bureaucrats when I have far more important work to do."

John continued to rant at Savannah in an attempt to discourage her from trying change his mind. But much like Allison, Savannah wasn't going to give up. John's refusal to give in just gave Savannah more motivation to keep trying.

She pleaded in earnest, "John, you have to go meet them and you have to prepare a speech just like aunt Sarah suggested. You're barely old enough to vote and you think you can convince these military officials with your good looks and determination?"

John turned his head around, looking away from Savannah, "Like I said before. I'm not going. I don't need to convince them of anything."

He tried to retain his focus on his map of Skynet territory, but Savannah wouldn't let up.

The woman put her hands on her hips, "Yes John, you do. For the sake of the resistance you need to prove yourself a capable leader, even if you have to deal with a bunch of incompetent leaders at the same time. Even Cameron told me that future John dealt with irritating people."

John groaned, "All the more reason not to go."

"You're missing the point John. You need to leave it to Allison to find Cameron. She helped you find her before and she'll help you do it again. No one is better suited for the task than her. But right now, your head is way up in the clouds. You need to focus on the more pressing issue at hand."

John angrily barked back, "You don't think Cameron being dead and missing isn't the most pressing of issues?!"

Savannah retorted, "Not as much as this meeting with Perry's friends."

"How can you say that?! You sound just like mom!"

She folded her arms, "Believe it or not, aunt Sarah wants to bring back Cameron more than I do! But what you are doing right now is going to tear yourself and the resistance apart!"

John cried out, "Please I can't take this anymore. Just leave me alone Savannah!"

"Don't you see John? I like Cameron a lot, but the moment she goes missing, Skynet will see that her disappearance hurts you. Skynet will see that the strength you find from Cameron is also your weakness when she is gone. Look at yourself John! Look at what you're doing to yourself! You haven't slept. You haven't eaten. You look I an animal who hasn't shaved in two months! You can't let Skynet win, but if you keep this up, Skynet will win! This is why Cameron struggles so much to hang around you. Your inability to function without her worries her!"

John collapsed on a wooden bench, finally peeling his eyes away from his work. He felt his temples were about to explode.

Savannah pleaded, "John, Cameron would want you to find her. But not at the expense of the resistance. I promised Cameron that if she ever went missing, I would help you to stay strong and continue to fight with the resistance. I intend to keep that promise. Now go. Get ready. Let's do this for Cameron."

John paused. Savannah's lecturing was finally over and the future leader finally had a chance to let her words sink in. Savannah was right. As much as he wanted to find Cameron, he had something that needed his full attention. Was he abandoning her by allowing Allison to look for her alone? No, he had to believe he wasn't doing that. That was the only way he could convince himself to heed Savannah's words.

With total surrender, a dejected John Connor croaked out, "What do you need to me do?"

Savannah wiped off the sweat on her brows before answering in relief, "I literally thought you'd never ask."

* * *

Operation: RCP was finally in motion. RCP stood for Recover Cameron Phillips, though Allison preferred Operation: RDB which stood for Recover Dumbot. Unfortunately, John didn't think her suggestion was that funny.

On a much bigger note, Allison never imagined Savannah could convince John to leave the operation solely to her. Maybe Savannah was right, she could move mountains.

Now that John was out of the way, he gave much of his findings to Allison. Allison was happy with what she got from him. The intelligence that John collected from John Henry regarding the metal factory was accurate. In fact, John's notes that Allison examined were so detailed that they even included vantage points, vulnerabilities, terminator numbers, travel routes, and so much more.

Allison realized that if John had worked just as hard on defeating Skynet as he did working on Cameron, humanity would have won the war such a long time ago.

It also struck Allison how skilled John really was in actual war and combat. He may struggle with his attitude sometimes, but John was very clever in his own right. For example, John's memory was very sharp as he could recollect every exit point on Derek's base. He was very aware of his surrounds and detecting terminators was like a sixth sense for him. Allison also knew that John possessed the same level of determination as she did. John understood strategy quite well and he could think outside of the box. He knew how to fight terminators and he knew his way around a gun. Bottom line, John could make it in this day and age. This only affirmed what Allison already suspected. John really was meant to be a leader even if he had not yet showed his full potential to the world.

Such thoughts breezed through Allison's mind as she fixed up a Jeep in the auto shop. Seeing how incompetent the designated mechanic was, Allison decided to do the work herself. She planned to take the Jeep to Death Valley and she couldn't afford any problems, including a possible break down.

Derek randomly strolled into the shop, determined to ask her a question that boggled his mind for weeks.

"Hey Allison, I was just wondering. Did John ever tell you about the other version of me? You know, the one that got killed by a machine like 20 years ago?"

Allison, still distracted in her engine work, simply murmured, "Yeah."

"What specifically did she say?" He wondered.

Allison cited, "Um, Cameron said you were a very successful Lieutenant for one of future John's underground bases. She told me you and John never seemed to get along though."

"Well, that makes sense."

Allison added, "He also mentioned your love affair with Jessie Flores, the Captain of the USS Jimmy Carter and of course your miscarriage."

"Jessie Flores? Miscarriage? Whose Jessie? USS Jimmy Carter? Did you say miscarriage?"

"Time travel's a bitch. Cameron said it was a nice really nice sub."

"But did you just say miscarriage?!"

Allison continued to casually twist and play around with the engine as she waved him off, "Relax Derek, that timeline no longer exists. You don't have a son from another timeline."

"So was I also friends with younger General Connor? Like when she was about my age?"

While Allison yanked out a few random cables from the Jeep's engine, she shook her head, "Damn, these cables are burnt out."

Derek pressed her, "Allison? Did I know General Connor?!"

With a bit of frustration, Allison grumbled, "No, other Derek never hooked up with young General Connor. Happy now?!"

Derek madly laughed it off, "What?! No you're crazy. I'd never think of something like that. I'll see you when we're ready to leave. Bye Allison."

Derek groaned in his mind, _"She can read minds too_?!"

Allison called out, "Derek, before you go, could you hand me that wrench? I need to fix this. Hey, maybe it can fix your man pride too!"

* * *

Savannah took another glance at her watch as she stood by the door of John's bunker, "John, are you ready to go?"

"Yeah, one second."

John bent down to write something on a small piece of paper.

Savannah frowned, "You don't want all those bureaucrats, I mean Generals, to be waiting a long while for you. Whatever you're scribbling down on that piece of paper can wait. Go review your speech one more time. You have to be at San Bernardino by 1300."

"This scribbling is my speech!"

"What?! What have you been doing all these hours?!"

John replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "I've been narrowing down at least 37 points within the Skynet factory where Cameron might be held."

Savannah shook her head, "John, what did I tell you? You have to trust Allison to do her job. She's the best at finding anything and anyone. Just stay out of it!"

"I know but I had to help!"

Savannah sighed, "Forget it. Just listen. When we're on our way to the secret meeting, think about what you're going to say and not about Cameron. Remember, you have be strong. It's what Cameron would want."

John rubbed the back of his head, "Look, just make sure Allison gets Cameron out of that factory before Skynet does anything to her. I just can't deal with anything happening to her."

Savannah opened her mouth to make a response, but Allison made her entrance at Intelligence HQ with perfect timing.

As Allison walked in, she turned to John and announced, "Don't sweat it John. My crew and I have got this covered. I know the place inside and out. We'll get Cameron back and things will be back to normal before you know it. Just wanted to say goodbye. We're leaving now. I hope your meeting goes well too with those sleazebags, I mean, resistance leaders."

Savannah smirked, "When you said crew, you mean Kyle, Derek, and Captain Cameron, correct?!"

Allison reiterated, "No, I mean, my crew. That sounds more badass than uttering a few random names."

John smiled, "Thanks Allison. Good luck with your crew."

Allison grinned in a bit of amusement, "Won't need it. You've got me remember?"

John rolled his eyes, "Riiiggghhhttt..."

Allison started puckering up.

John recoiled in embarrassment, "Allison, what are you doing?!"

Allison frowned as if she were confused, "What?! No kiss before I go?"

John turned away to search for his duffle bag, "You'll get it when we find Cameron."

For once, John smiled since Cameron was gone. Of course John had no intention of kissing anyone for he had a much more devious plan in mind for Allison. Allison quirked an eyebrow at John's strange behavior.

As soon as John walked away, Allison turned to face Savannah, "Take care of him Savannah. And please don't talk about Kyle while you're traveling there. He really doesn't need any of that right now."

Savannah exhaled, "Damn. I was hoping you wouldn't say that. I wanted to tell John about how Kyle and I were learning how to French kiss. I used to think French kissing was when you put a French fry in your mouth and you ate it with your partner until your mouths joined."

"No more talking. Spare me the details please! The thought of you and Kyle kissing is the grossest thing!"

Savannah smiled, "Not the grossest thing."

"What do you mean?"

"Oh never mind, see yah later Allison."

* * *

John climbed down the ladder into the basement of Ziera corp. John wanted to talk to John Henry before he left.

John Henry immediately ignored his work once he spotted John approaching him, "Mr. Connor, what are you doing here? According to Ms. Weaver, you should be meeting with California's resistance leaders shortly."

John answered, "I just wanted to say that I've checked out all the information you gave me on that Skynet metal compound in Death Valley. Everything you gave me was correct. Allison intends to get Cameron back while I'm away."

"That is good news. I like Ms. Phillips."

John laughed, "Yeah, I like her too."

John Henry smiled, "Congratulations as well."

John tilted his head in an awkward glare, "For what?"

"Your marriage."

John grew very alarmed at John Henry's ridiculousness.

"What marriage? I'm not getting married."

"Your marriage with Ms. Young upon the condition of Ms. Phillip's deactivation."

"What?!"

John Henry felt perplexed at John's apparent misapprehension.

The artificial intelligence explained, "Yes, it was in her will."

"Cameron's will? What else did she say in...her will?!"

"She asked Ms. Young to promise her she would not let you search for her after her death."

John couldn't believe it. Why would Cameron do something like that?

"Who was supposed to tell me all of this?!"

"Ms. Young told me she would tell you."

"Then why didn't she tell me yet?!"

John Henry suggested, "Maybe she has forgotten."

John vehemently shook his head, "No John Henry, she hasn't forgotten anything. I need to talk to her."

A womanly voice rang out, "No time for that John."

John announced, "Savannah?"

He turned around and realized Savannah had followed him into John Henry's room.

Savannah replied, "I'll explain everything to you when we get there. Come on, let's go. Oh, and nice to see you again John Henry."

John Henry shined his awkward smile, "You too Ms. Weaver."

"Please, just call me Savannah."

"Okay Savannah."

* * *

When John and Savannah had driven most of the way to San Bernardino, a silent John couldn't wait anymore.

He demanded, "Talk."

Savannah knew exactly what she needed to say, "Allison hid the truth from you. She didn't want to tell you about Cameron's wishes because she felt guilty. That's why she wants to bring back Cameron instead."

"And what about me not being allowed to look for Cameron? What the hell is that all about?"

"Allison promised Cameron she wouldn't let you look for her. That's why she asked me to get you to stay out of it. She's simply honoring Cameron's wishes and your wishes at the same time."

John muttered, "I'm still mad at you."

"You're mad at Allison and I for being good friends to both of you?"

"Yeah pretty much."

Savannah decided to give him a few minutes to allow John's anger to subside.

 **A few minutes later...**

After a series of bumpy roads, Savannah finally found a flat surface to operate the Jeep.

Savannah asked him, "Are you still mad at me John?"

"No."

"We still friends?"

"Yep."

"So everything's good?"

John sighed, "Yes Savannah we're good."

 **Another hour later...**

When John finally arrived at Perry's given coordinates, several masked soldiers from out of nowhere grabbed both Savannah and John. They quickly yanked them out the vehicle and escorted them into what appeared to be an old abandoned building. When John entered, the house was dark and completely hollow. One soldier leaped forward, and out of nowhere, lifted a trap door in the ground to reveal a cellar. John and Savannah watched closely.

Being mature as he was, John withheld his 'That's so cool!' stare. As John peaked down, he noticed the set of stairs leading into a secret basement. With tight grip on their arms, the soldiers urged John and Savannah forward. John ducked his head into the basement. When he did, he saw something amazing.

It was a large underground base. Within those concrete walls were several military officers dressed in uniforms. Many of them brushed past John as they flooded around the base going about their own business. To John's left, he saw several computers and tracking technology analyzing Skynet activity. To his right were soldiers and other personnel in discussion, staring at clipboards, and rubbing their cins. It was amazing to see so much life and activity in what appeared to be no man's land. John realized that the resistance wasn't as quiet as he thought it to be. Who knew how many other secret bases could be around?

Suddenly, a woman from the underground base spotted John and Savannah alongside the soldiers holding them in custody. She quickly approached to speak with John and Savannah. When she came up close, John noticed her hair was reddish looking, similar to Savannah's hair, but it was tied up in a bun. She wore a well fitting resistance uniform with her badge name "Casey" on the right side of her chest.

She smiled slightly and introduced herself, "Hello Ms. Weaver and Mr. Connor. We have been expecting you. I see General Connor could not make it today?"

Savannah interjected, "Yeah sorry, she had other business to attend to so she sent me instead as her representative."

"I see. Well, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Private Stacey Casey."

Savannah nearly squeaked in delight at the sound of her name.

The woman turned her head in Savannah's direction and blankly responded, "Is there a problem Ms. Weaver?"

Savannah giggled, "No ma'am. I just think it's kind of funny that you're first and last name rhyme."

John really didn't like the first impression Savannah was giving her. They were supposed to be professionals, but Savannah seemed all to relaxed for this.

Private Casey made no attempt to laugh. She just signaled the military escorts to leave as she continued her stare at Savannah. If John didn't know any better, he would have though Private Casey wasn't human.

At first she just frowned, and then laughed out loud, "Ha, ha, ha, that is funny Ms. Weaver."

John shook his head in dismay. Who would have expected her to laugh like that?

Private Casey finally ended her fit of laughter and cleared her throat, "Ah, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me. That was very funny. Anyway, they are ready for you. Please follow me."

John followed Private Casey into a door titled, "RESTRICTED". Casey typed in a long code and then the buzzer sounded. The large metal door opened and they entered. John and Savannah walked past several identical doors. John's spine tingled at what might be going on behind all those doors.

While making their way to the meeting, Private Casey spoke up, "I believe you are acquainted with General Perry?"

Savannah nodded, "Yes. He's very nice when you get to know him."

Casey curiously replied, "Indeed. It's strange though. He used to be the leading force to destroy the machines, and now he's ready to work with them."

Savannah replied, "Yeah, well, people can change."

Casey didn't respond. For some reason, John didn't have a good feeling about the conversation.

Much to John's relief, Casey finally opened a random door to her left. When the two entered, John saw a large room with a long table surrounded by men and women. All of them were mature adults with all but a few people dressed in military uniforms. John observed that most of the men and women were two to four star Generals sitting alongside other major political figures. John noticed Perry among the many people.

It occurred to Savannah that this bureaucracy was the very foundation of the entire resistance. It was amazing and intimidating all at the same time.

One General at the end of the table declared, "Ah, Mr. John Connor, it's good to finally meet you."

John didn't say anything. He couldn't afford to appear childish. He needed to prove to them he knew what he was doing. He begged his mind to shift his focus off Cameron and simply deal with the matter at hand.

"Mr. Connor, Ms. Weaver, please have a seat."

Reluctantly, both of them took a seat at the other end of a long table.

Before John had a chance to say anything, one of the men not dressed in a military uniform spoke up, "Mr. John Connor, I'll spare you the introduction. I'm a man who likes to get straight to the point."

Savannah butt in, "And who might you be?"

The man, approximately 45 years in age, asserted, "I'm the Vice President of the United States."

John's heart leaped. He never thought that a time traveling teen like himself could ever grab the attention of a world leader, but there he was sitting right in front of him.

John gulped, "Sir, Mr. Vice President, you really don't have a choice."

Silence took hold of the room. Even Savannah was surprised John could say something like that.

The Vice President questioned him, "What did you just say?!"

Another General, an aged lady with blonde hair, stood up and shouted, "Okay, I've had enough of this Mr. Vice President! Look at him. The kid's barely passed puberty and you're treating him like he's a legitimate threat to our nation's security! Our people have more important things to be worried about."

General Perry interrupted, "No Lesley, I know this kid. Everything I told you is the truth."

The lady General snarled, "Truth my ass! He's a gray working with Skynet, not this John Henry nonsense you're ranting about!"

The Vice President shouted, "Enough! The President didn't send me here to listen to your petty squabbling. Mr. Connor, why don't we have a choice whether we can trust you? And tell us, what do you know anyway? What makes you so important?"

John and Savannah smiled confidently. He knew how body language could be used to give a good impression.

With a more relaxed posture John replied, "How much time you got?"

The Vice President countered, "As much time as you need."

John laid his head back and answered, "Well then, let's get started."

* * *

Allison sat inside the Jeep waiting on three lazy men to get in the vehicle.

She shouted once more, "Derek! Uncle Jay! Kyle! Come on! We need to go now!"

Derek shouted back, "Relax Allison, we're on our way."

"I won't relax 'till Cameron comes back!"

As the three men made their way closer, Derek smirked, "Allison, just walk around like soulless zombie and you're good to go."

Allison mocked, "Haw, Haw, that's sooo funny."

Kyle warned, "Are you sure you want to do this Ally? This is kind of dangerous. You really want to risk it for a machine?"

Allison murmured, "Not just any machine."

While the four men loaded themselves into the vehicle, Jason voiced his agreement, "Yep, I'll give you that Allison. That's one weird machine. You know, it's interesting that Skynet would be so obsessed over infiltration that it would be willing to make a machine that looks like Allison. And all for what? To kill John Connor?"

Derek smiled, "Tell me about it. Sounds like complete bullshit."

Jason added, "Yeah, and you know what else? Why make female terminators? Women are small, slender, and weigh far less than men, yet Skynet still makes some of their machines into women? Sounds like a waste of metal to me. They're built to kill you, not seduce you."

Allison frowned, "That's so sexist."

Derek agreed, "Yeah Jason, Allison's right. If men can be mindless metal killers, why can't women be mindless metal killers too?"

All the men grinned.

For the first time in Derek's life, he cleverly retorted Allison's statement without any kind of clever comeback. Derek felt really good about that. But deep down in Allison's heart, she really wasn't defending herself or women in general. She realized she was actually defending Cameron.

Allison folded her arms together, "Just shut up and drive the damn car."

* * *

 **Inside Skynet's Metal Factory...**

Several Skynet T-888s guarded and observed the thousands upon thousands of lifeless cyborgs as they were transported on a large black conveyor belt. There would have been complete silence if it was wasn't for the moaning of the conveying device as it dropped countless machines into a fiery hot furnace, capable of melting the coltan with ease.

A T-888 briefly examined none other than Cameron's body. The machine observed Cameron's bruised and beaten body, noticing the gleaming metal showing through her torn skin. The machine tilted its head in confusion. Cameron wasn't a recognizable T-888 like all the others. She was...different. This was bad because Cameron's hyperalloy material could negatively affect the creation of other T-888s. For fear of severe repercussions, the Skynet machine quickly pulled Cameron off the conveyor belt and onto the ground.

The T-888 examined the rest of the machines to ensure that no other machine resembled Cameron's particular model.

It was pretty clear though. Cameron would probably be recycled some other way. She was about to die. She would be burned up and erased from existence forever. The timeline was changed, Allison was alive so Cameron would never come back to her John. To make things worse, Allison would not be able to reach Cameron in time to save her.

Strangely, a dormant shadow made its way to the corner of the Skynet factory. The sound of metal piercing metal alerted the T-888 guarding Cameron's body. The machine turned its head to the corner where it saw the threatening shadow.

The T-888 watched in concern.

 **Subject: Unknown (Possible intruder)  
**

 **Threat Level: Unknown**

 **Action: Investigate**

After another flicker, the shadow was gone. Suddenly, a large metal spike impaled the T-888. It's chest stuck out like food on a shish kebab. The machine dropped to the ground without a fight. It's red eyes flickered a moment before it dimmed. The machine was dead.

Finally, the perpetrator revealed itself in full form. It was Catherine Weaver, the liquid metal terminator.

Weaver reached out and broke off the hand of the downed T-888. She jammed it's metal arm into the conveyor belt's moving parts, preventing the damaged machines from being melted in the furnace. Weaver then approached Cameron's body and reached out her arm towards the dead cyborg. Slowly, a metal snake, the same one from Weaver's aquarium, flowed out of her hands and onto Cameron.

The metal snake flowed over Cameron's tattered body, over her legs, her chest, and her face. The liquid flowed under her clothes, covering her exposed metal. Some of it flowed inside her, throughout Cameron's moving parts, reshaping itself. Something miraculous happened. The missing connections were connected. The missing joints were no longer missing. The power from Cameron's nuclear power cell somehow found a way to reroute. Something started whirring up in Cameron's head. Weaver could hear it loud and clear. It was the sound of Cameron's reactivation. She was alive.

Cameron's eyes opened. They flashed blue.

 **System Initialization**

 **Rebooting...**

Cameron eyes refocused. She realized she was aware, but that she was in a strange place. Cameron, still lying flat on the ground, noticed a tall woman towering above her.

Cameron shifted her eyes to her savior, "Weaver?"

Weaver smiled proudly, "We have some work to do."

* * *

When Allison and the rest of her crew arrived, they agreed to stakeout the large metal factory where Skynet held Cameron.

Hiding behind a small ridge, Allison seemed completely entranced, scanning the factory for any kind of Skynet activity. Derek crouched beside Allison and decided to start up a conversation with her.

He asked, "Allison, I have another question for you that I think you're well qualified to answer."

"Fire away."

"Do you think the liquid metal, uh, Weaver, planned all of this? Do you think she wanted your twin cyborg dead?"

"I've thought about it. Weaver is very cunning and I think it's very possible that she orchestrated the events to change John."

"Change John how?"

"She may have allowed Skynet to attack because she wanted John to lose Cameron so he would reach his breaking point. Weaver may have done all of this so John would realize that Skynet is worth fighting because if humanity loses, he will lose Cameron."

"Breaking point? That's a little harsh." Kyle commented after overhearing Allison's words

"Yeah, well when you only function by logic rather than compassion, it doesn't seem harsh at all."

Derek added, "If John Connor figures that Weaver did this, it's going to be chaos."

Allison optimistically assured the three men, "I'm sure it won't come to that."

Jason rubbed his chin, "Wow, I've never even thought of that. My boss really is a bitch."

Allison casually murmured, "Takes one to know one."

* * *

 _Notice the transition between Allison and John's roles? At first, John was the level-headed one who dealt with a moody Allison. Suddenly, the reverse happens. As soon as John's world falls apart, Allison becomes the hero who saves the day. Remember, Allison is the future leader of the resistance after John Connor, so you'll understand why her leadership ability is important as well._

 _Oh, and yes, Cameron is back. I never intended to pull Cameron out of the story like many of you thought I'd do. Pulling Cameron out would have simply slowed Jameron development even more and I don't think anyone would want me to do that.  
_

 _Stay tuned for the next chapter..._


	27. Uniting the Resistance

_Sorry I'm a week and one day late. That's because I recently travelled to the United States, visiting states including Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky. While shopping in the American stores, I noticed there are lots of **Firefly** stuff you can buy there. _

_Yeah, so the marriage thing probably seems weird, but Cameron's goal is not to match John up with a love interest, but rather to secure an adequate protector for John in the event she dies.  
_

 _Before you read, I put out this brief synopsis of each major character so you better understand where each of these characters are coming from. Please read each of these characters' back stories in order to fill up any missing plot holes._

 ** _Please excuse any blatant errors or discrepancies. I'm posting this thing like 4:30 in the morning so don't be mad please!_**

* * *

 **Savannah** **Weaver** : Now in her mid twenties, Savannah Weaver has developed into a quirky, likeable, extroverted, and happy-go-lucky type of woman. Having lived without a mom or a dad, Savannah practically raised herself. She's very proud of her successful career at LA Airforce Base where she performed aircraft maintenance before joining John to fight at Derek's base. She doesn't say anything about it, but men can't seem to resist her charm. Savannah's biggest love interest is Kyle Reese and the talkative woman stops at nothing to tease John about it.

 **Allison Young** : At 19 years old, Allison Young is an intelligence officer who's bent on being the best of the best in the resistance. She hates it when people underscore her success because of her relationship with Derek. Despite this, Allison is an excellent marksman with a knack for observation, making her invaluable to the team. Despite her ambition, Allison doesn't truly value herself the way that Savannah does. She tends to isolate herself from close relationships as well. Allison is very sensitive and emotional person, though she does her best to hide it from the rest of her friends. Her greatest romantic interest is John Connor and continues to battle Cameron for his affection.

 **Cameron Phillips** : Coming in at six years old, Cameron is a cyborg that serves as John's friend and guardian. After future John's death, Cameron sent herself back in time to protect young John from Cromartie. Cameron is an anatomically correct cyborg capable of smiling, eating, crying, sex, and other advanced forms of human mimicry. Cameron was originally created to infiltrate the resistance, kill John Connor, and assume leadership as John's heir, Allison Young. Cameron's greatest struggles is understanding her own worth as well as emotions. She understands some aspects of emotion including fear of dying and jealousy of other people. She also continues to develop a value for human life. Cameron's greatest romantic interest, if any, is John Connor, though she doesn't really know or feel her desire for John the way Allison would.

 **John Connor** : Now 18 years old, John Connor is the supposed future leader of the resistance and son of Sarah Connor and Kyle Reese. Even though he has proven himself quite capable of leading in the future, he battles himself on the inside to accept his fate. He wants to believe his mother's words, "no fate but what we make", but can't see how it applies to him. John struggles with his attitude sometimes, and gets easily angered when he's put in a tough spot. His greatest romantic interest is Cameron, though he's afraid to show it under the watchful eye of Allison Young.

 **Derek Reese** : Now in his early thirties, Derek Reese is a Lieutenant Colonel working under the authority of General Justin Perry at Ziera Base. He lives for two things, protecting Kyle and his family (Kyle + Allison), and killing machines. Since Derek met Ellison in this timeline, he knew about John and Cameron long before either of them arrived. However, he simply thought everything Ellison told him about the two was all a bunch of baloney. Derek is a lamer version of himself in comparison to other timelines. He is basically an asexual, not really into any relationships because he thinks they're boring. He once joked with Kyle that he was "married" to the resistance. However, he's recently taken on a special liking to Sarah Connor, despite the age gap between the two.

 **Sarah Connor** : Now in her early fifties, Sarah Connor is a General for the Mexican military. After John went looking for Cameron into the future, Sarah forced Matt Murch to repair Cameron's damaged body. She later brought her body to Citrus Heights for future John to find her. After a failed attempt to thwart Skynet's coming online, Sarah left Ellison and Savannah in Los Angeles and traveled to Mexico to warn the people of what was to come in 2011. Sarah hoped they would be more perceptive to her warnings, but the Mexicans did little to promote her cause. It was only when the bombs dropped did survivors choose to follow Sarah's leadership. Sarah continues to fight with the resistance and works hard to fix the strained relationship between herself and John.

 **Catherine Weaver** : No one really knows much about Catherine Weaver, the T-1001 liquid metal terminator. All we really can deduce about Weaver was that she was a machine that turned against its creator Skynet to eventually join an anti-Skynet faction we will call the cyborg resistance. Weaver took a major role in forming an alliance between her faction and the rest of the resistance in a certain timeline. After the collapse of their alliance and future John's mysterious death, she teamed up with Cameron to go back to the past and manipulate past events to ensure a successful alliance in the future. This required Cameron to protect and manipulate John while Weaver infiltrated Ziera Corporation to create John Henry.

 _More synopsis' to come with Ellison, Bedell, Jason, etc._

* * *

 **Underground Resistance Base in San Bernardino...**

John and Savannah stood quietly inside that same dimmed room, noticing the millions of eyes stare them down. To Savannah, it felt like wolves gazing at vulnerable sheep.

John could feel the hair raising on his arms and neck, but he wouldn't let all those people get to his head. He kept up his confidence like Savannah demanded and took deep breaths as Allison suggested. Most of all, he kept Cameron out of his head, convincing himself she'd be okay. He stood alongside Savannah and begun his long lecture of what he'd been doing ever since the machines took over Derek's base.

It was John's goal that if he could prove to all of the resistance that he was actually a good guy and not some Skynet operative, he could get them to join him rather than fight him. It was his only chance, or else everyone he cared for, Derek, Kyle, Allison, Cameron, Savannah, and his mother would be in severe jeopardy. He couldn't afford to lose them because of something terrible he did. He just couldn't allow it.

Just as he finished his long speech regarding the friendly machines, John Henry, his mother, and of course his relationship with the people on Derek's base, he could see that some of the military leaders were more opened and relaxed. John was a bit concerned about that appearance. Were they not buying it? Did they think he was crazy? Or were they simply happy to know more about him?

John wasn't sure, but he had to trust that telling the truth was both the best and right thing to do. He searched Savannah's eyes for approval, but he only got a brief nod to keep going. John decided to conclude, speaking about his successes in engaging Skynet.

 _"You're getting there...You'll convince them. Everything will be fine. Just go for it."_ John thought.

John found explaining his conquests to the resistance very difficult. He realized he could not win them over with impressive words alone. John needed something for illustration.

John requested, "Hey do your people happen to have a map of some sort?"

The Vice President nodded curiously and motioned one of the soldiers to bring one.

When two guards brought it in and placed it on the table in front of the Generals, John recognized their position immediately. With a brief smile, John pointed his finger on the southwestern quadrant of a large resistance map.

He said "Oh, and like I was saying, you can see right here, Skynet's borders are both here and here. This is where my mother and Lieutenant Reese managed to push the machines further north, protecting the Mexicans from another assault."

John ensured he didn't mention the likes of Weaver or Cameron. He wanted the resistance to believe he was in full and sole control of both human and cyborg resistances.

General Lesley examined the same part of the map where John laid his finger, "And why are the Mexicans so important?"

John flattened both his hands on the table and fixed a glaring response, "They're our allies aren't they? And I'm pretty sure that my mother is someone I'd want to protect as well."

The Vice President rubbed his itching beard. Deep down, he really didn't think John was foolish for wanting to protect his own mother

The American leader pressed John with more questions, "So why exactly is Skynet pulling back? It's not like they don't have the power to hold their ground."

John clarified, "Skynet never expected us to fight back. They never expected us to defend our borders. I believe Skynet wanted to gradually force us out until we had no more places to run. After that, they planned to go in for the kill. But now that we are resisting, Skynet is rethinking its strategy now."

Lesley snarled, "So Skynet just cowers away as soon as we resist? Lies. Lies from you and lies from Perry!"

Perry, who was still seated at his side of the table, frowned, but didn't say anything. He trusted John could do all the speaking, but he prayed that John wouldn't slip up or say something stupid.

Meanwhile, John simply shook his head, "Not quite General, Skynet is planning something big. I can feel it. But don't just take my word for it. Our intelligence officers, with the aid of John Henry, have detected huge amounts of Skynet activity outside of Lieutenant Reese's base."

* * *

 **Just outside of Death Valley's Skynet Metal Factory...**

Allison laid flat on her belly in between Kyle and Derek. She carefully unzipped her purple jacket so dirt and rubble would not damage her precious clothing. For a brief second, she found it strange that her favorite color happened to be the same as Cameron's, though she assumed that Cameron just copied some of her own traits from her personality.

While analyzing the factory through her binoculars, she found Jason getting up from behind the ridge, sacrificing their cover.

Allison shouted at his unforeseen movement, "Uncle Jay, wait! What are you doing!"

Jason Cameron didn't even bother glance at her. He made a dash for the compound without a second thought. He just couldn't stand Allison's, " _Let's wait it out"_ approach. It was just too boring.

Jason knew he could get shot by a machine. He knew he could die at any moment. But the thrill of it got to him. He was an adrenaline junkie who loved death defying stunts. Part of him wanted the war to continue, just so he could kill more metal bastards.

Jason uttered while on his way down, "We have to save the cyborg. Can't do that if we sit out here waiting for it to get melted."

Of course Jason really didn't care too much for Cameron. But it was a good enough excuse to make a break for it. By the time Allison realized what was going on, Jason was already half way to the compound. She forgot how Jason could run.

Once Derek witnessed the ordeal, he turned to Allison demanded, "You wait here! I'll go after him."

The crouching Derek launched off his legs and bolted towards Jason in a high speed chase.

Allison snorted, "Like hell I will!"

She pulled out her gun and motioned to the compound, but someone's firm grasp prevented her from moving.

"Unf!" She craned her neck around to see it was Kyle holding onto her so tightly.

She whined, "Get off me!"

Kyle refused, "No, I'm not letting you do something that stupid. Stay here where it's safe"

Allison tried to pull away, but no avail.

"This is just ridiculous. I want to go out there and make something of myself! I'm tired of you restraining me from reaching my goal."

"Death is not a goal Allison. We've talked about this already."

"Let me go!"

Kyle held Allison down with his weight. He remembered how squirmy Allison was when she was a little girl.

Kyle warned, "If you don't stop this fit right now, I'll give you cleanup duty when you get back!"

"You don't scare me! I'll just resign. I'll join the cyborg resistance instead. I never get a chance to do anything around here."

Kyle huffed, "It doesn't work like that. You don't get to desert your friends and family because life's a little hard."

"Screw life." She complained.

Kyle wouldn't hear it anymore, "Screw your attitude Allison!"

Allison cowered back immediately. She nearly whiplashed her own neck when she heard those heavy words sound out from Kyle's vocal chords. She wondered what got Kyle worked up so much. He was normally very calm in such tense situations, but his tone really upset her.

She asked, "Why are you so frustrated? Only Derek talks to me like that!"

Kyle, still feeling tense, shouted back, "Hmmm, let me think. Oh I know, my brother's base is overrun with machines. You have a twin cyborg that once tried to kill you. Oh, and I happen to be the former lover of a 50 year old woman and the father of a teenager from another timeline. I'm still not sure I can believe it."

For a moment, Allison blanked out completely. She didn't know what to say.

In an attempt to rationalize the situation, she barely shrugged, "It could be worse."

Kyle grabbed Allison's shoulders and shook her crazily, "Allison it doesn't get much worse than this! I need help!"

Whether or not this was an attempt to preoccupy Allison, it worked. Allison ignored Derek and Jason for a moment to address Kyle's concerns.

She looked upon Kyle apologetically, "How can I help? In other timelines, I'm usually murdered, so I really can't see how I'm useful at all in this situation."

Kyle admitted, "I just don't know how to talk to either of them. How do I talk to someone who's my long lost son? And I'm hardly older than he is! And what about General Connor? Just think of it. Kyle Reese and Sarah Connor? Even if the General was 60 years old, she'd still be way out of my league."

Allison finally freed herself from Kyle's grip and sat up in front of him and held his hands to calm him.

She relaxed and smiled, "Just talk to them like normal people. Just be brave and clear the air. The longer you wait the more it's going to bother you and them. So when you get the chance, just go out there and tell them what you need to say."

"What do I need to say?"

"That's up to you Kyle."

Kyle opened his mouth to answer, but a gruff and blaring voice came from below, "Hey guys! All the machines are dead! The entire facility is inactive!"

Allison squinted in confusion, "What? That's not possible! How? This Skynet facility is crucial base point and should be heavily defended."

Jason shouted further, "Yeah genius, but it looks like I figured out this base was empty before you did! Just eat your pride and get over here!"

Allison glared at Jason in frustration. Despite her level intelligence, she still lived under the shadow of Jason Cameron. Jason was always so hard on her from a young age to be the best as she could be. Allison was often teased because of her small frame and petite size. It's what motivated her to the best marksman, the best combatant, the best interrogator the resistance had ever seen. Allison realized this was what future John saw in her that made her the future leader of the resistance. Within all of Jason's criticism, Allison's heart swelled in pride and the one feat she accomplished in other timelinse.

While such thoughts meandered through her mind, Kyle and Allison raced over to Derek and Jason's position behind the compound. When they reached, they noticed that one side of the gate was completely sliced open for a human to enter.

Derek surmised, "I think a machine sliced open this fence to get in."

Allison shook her head, "No, look at the scrapes. They're cut in the opposite direction. Whoever cut this electrical fence open did it from inside the compound."

Kyle wondered, "What? But how is that possible?"

Jason smirked, "She's talking about my frickin' boss damn it! She can take a zillion bolts of electricity without phasing her one bit. She must have turned her hands into swords or something and sliced it open."

Derek coughed up, "You mean that liquid metal thing?"

Allison nodded, "Yeah, so what do you mean the machines are dead?"

Jason motioned, "Come look inside."

With their guns raised, they entered the gated fence one by one and into the Skynet compound. There was an eerie silence. The lights were on, but the conveyor belt of machine parts was not working. All around the floor, Allison saw bodies all pierced up with metal underneath their skin. They were all Skynet machines as she suspected.

Everyone knew the deactivated machines had to be the work of Weaver. But why come all the way hear? Did she want to save Cameron? Or maybe ensure her death? None of them knew with certainty.

Allison heard footsteps coming in from one of the entrance halls. Derek's eyes widened in alarm. It wasn't hard for any of Allison's crew to interpret the mechanical sound of what had to be a machine's footsteps. Everyone found something to hide behind as they pulled out their weapons and aimed in suspense. Allison saw a large gigantic shadow of a machine coming forward. She tightened her trigger finger so much more tightly ready to squeeze in the first shot.

Finally, the machine appeared. Then she saw a tiny being step forward through the hall.

Allison joked to herself, "It was just a shadow. Ha!"

It was the female terminator Cameron, ready and functional.

She shouted in both happiness and confusion, "Cameron?!"

Cameron turned her head to left and discovered three humans hiding behind a few large objects in the production facilities.

She acknowledged her supposed rescuer, "Allison."

Allison stuttered, "How did you? Why are you? You're...?"

Cameron replied, "Weaver fixed me."

Allison nodded, "Oh."

Allison felt curious to know how Weaver managed to fix such a heavily damaged cyborg. After all, she stopped functioning after she took a few to her chest. From where Allison was standing, even Cameron's clothes were perfectly clean and functional, but that should have been impossible considering how badly Cameron was injured. This drew Allison's concern, but she decided to ask her later for an explanation. She didn't want to delay bringing Cameron back home.

Before Allison could say anything else, Derek raised his gun, refusing to take any unnecessary risks.

He shook his head and demanded, "Hold on guys! Listen metal, how do we know it's you? How do we know you're not repaired and reprogrammed by Skynet to kill me or my nephew?"

Allison quirked an eyebrow that he referred to John as 'his' nephew, but didn't seem to take any kind of offense to that.

Cameron pulled out her knife, "Then take my chip. There's no way I can prove that I am not compromised."

Kyle whispered to Derek, "Wasn't expecting that response."

Derek smirked, "Then we know it's her. Only that cyborg would say something like that."

Jason rolled his eyes, "Yeah, the cyborg's weird. Anyway, enough banter, let's go. The fun's ended."

Unfortunately, Cameron wasn't quite ready to leave.

"Not quite." Cameron answered as everyone turned around to leave the compound.

Allison questioned her, "What do you mean? We have to get back to base. Skynet could turn up any minute and I really don't feel like shooting at them right now. We're not exactly armed for it right now."

Cameron explained, "This compound is important to Skynet. Derek and Jason must blow this up."

Kyle folded his arms hesitantly, "With what explosives?"

Cameron deadpanned, "Look behind you."

Jason looked behind him to see several boxed crates carrying a grayish looking powder inside it.

Derek asked, "What's that?"

Cameron stated, "Thermite explosives."

"Why the hell would machines have stuff that could kill them? Thermite melts titanium and coltan doesn't it?" Jason replied.

Cameron nodded, "Yes. But it wasn't meant for themselves. These explosives were meant to destroy our units. This compound must be destroyed because it will set Skynet back significantly and provide John with a strategic advantage to win back Southern California."

Kyle added, "This thermite stuff can destroy a whole lot more than metal."

Cameron ignored him and apologized, "I'm sorry I can't help you. But I need to speak with John. Where is he?"

"Cameron, don't you remember I promised I wouldn't let him look for you? Well I kept good on that promise. We forced him to go to San Bernardino to get more resistance members on our side. Why do you ask?"

Cameron blankly declared, "I need to see him now. It's important."

"Why, what is it?"

"I need to ensure his safety."

Allison pressed her, "Is he in danger?"

Cameron wouldn't budge, "I just need to see him."

Jason smirked, "Let's just get this done. It's no secret that my boss put the cyborg up to this anyway. But I don't care. I'd love to see this Skynet factory burn."

Derek and Kyle nodded in agreement, "Okay, let's do this."

Allison finally interrupted, "Okay Cameron, I'm going with you. I don't want to leave you in resistance territory all alone in case you get short. Come on, let's get out of here."

Kyle wondered, "Wait. How will you get back without a vehicle?"

Cameron replied, "I'll handle it."

Cameron made her way towards a different passageway while Kyle and Jason handled the explosives. Suddenly, Cameron stopped and turned around, nearly bumping into Allison following her from behind.

"One more thing Derek."

Derek paused and turned around, "My name is Lieutenant Reese metal."

Cameron stipulated, "Stay at least 2.5 kilometers away from the compound once you detonate the explosives. Standing any closer might kill you."

Derek smirked, "Yeah, that sounds like an afterthought to you doesn't it?"

Cameron confessed, "John doesn't want you to die. I don't want you to die either."

Derek refused to believe her, "You can't want anything."

Allison put a stop to it, "Okay enough. Derek, you do realize you're arguing with a cyborg don't you? Get a hold of yourself. Cameron, let's just go! Maybe while we're on our way to San Bernadino, you can tell me how you're not dead and melted away."

"Hey, where are we walking anyway?"

Cameron took several lefts and rights through different access strips and corridors before she finally exited the compound. When Allison went outside, she saw the limited daylight shining over a massive junkyard of resistance vehicles.

Allison gasped, "Wait! These are all in perfect working condition! Look how many we lost to Skynet!"

Cameron explained, "Some machines use resistance vehicles to carry cargo to different supply ports. This truck to our left has enough fuel to take us."

Cameron pointed to her left to show which vehicle she was talking about. They both broke in that direction, opened the vehicle, and quickly loaded in.

Cameron, now seated in the driver's seat, asked, "Is Bedell with John in San Bernadino?"

"No."

"Call him on your radio. Mine is damaged. Tell him to join us at San Bernadino in exactly 180 minutes at Perry's given coordinates. Bring an army as well."

Allison turned to Cameron and acknowledged her request, "Alright, though the army seems to be a bit much."

 **Just before Cameron started the truck...**

Allison cutely smiled, "Hey, you know how to drive a truck?"

The cyborg deadpanned, "Yes."

"Do you know where the keys are?"

"Behind the mirror."

Allison grinned, "Ah, so you've lived a long time in the real world."

Cameron smiled slightly, "I didn't realize there was a fake one."

Allison gazed at Cameron in complete astonishment. She shook her head in the amusement.

Allison laughed, "Nobody likes smartass Cameron."

"I'll remember that."

* * *

 **Three Hours Later...**

One General stood up and pointed out the obvious, "Mr. Connor, you keep mentioning this artificial intelligence you call John Henry. How does this John Henry exist? How do we know this isn't Skynet you're serving?"

Just as John's mouth opened to explain another long line of questioning, gunfire erupted. A company of soldiers stormed past the hallway to assess the threat.

One man shouted out through the hall, "Metal! Metal's coming in!"

John and Savannah ignored the frightened military officials and broke out of the room immediately. Some of the Generals hid under the table while others fumbled for their holstered weapons.

Savannah peaked down the hall outside and motioned John to follow her, "John, this way!"

Savannah quickly bolted towards the sound of bullets hitting metal.

John raced after her. While making his way through a dizzying hallway of identical doors, John felt he was trapped in another dimension, never finding his way out. It was like a nightmare. But he trusted Savannah knew where she was going.

Once they finally reached the main entrance hall, John saw many recognizable T-888s in cyborg resistance uniforms, lined up and standing there armed and ready while guards pummeled and shredded their clothes with fire. More kept coming down into the military base in an unending line. When John saw the metallic clings and sparks coming off their bodies, he finally gained the sense and the resolve to do something about it.

General Lesley, who was brave enough to witness the event, screeched, "What is this, some kind of a coup?! You tracked us here? You're trying to kill us!"

John shook his head, "Nope, but that HK must have. Listen General, tell the men to stop firing. These machines belong to me and they can't kill you unless I give them the order."

"You're crazy aren't you?! You sent them here!"

"No I didn't, I'm not always in charge of the machines."

"The hell you are!" She fought back.

John lost his patience, "Tell them to stop General or they'll stop you! You're inadequately armed. Once those plasma bolts hit you, they'll go right through you. You and I both know it."

"I'll never give in, not to a kid like you."

John gritted his teeth, "Get your head out of your ass for one minute General! Instead of being the leader that never backed the down, be the one that saved your men from certain death!For the last time General, stand down so I can fix whatever's going on!"

The General seemed like she wanted to say something, but refrained. It didn't matter anymore anyway.

With a bit of reluctance in her proud eyes, she shouted out commandingly, "HOOOLD YOUR FIRE!"

All was silent. The soldiers obeyed. They suddenly stopped firing. Their fearful fingers begged to keep shooting, though each soldier knew it was pointless. Everyone's eyes laid on the machines, waiting for their next move, but the T-888s didn't even blink. Finally, a large slam of a door sounded, indicating someone or something was coming down the stairs.

With both hands raised, Allison smiled, "Ah, I see you're done shooting out you wrath upon these poor machines."

Allison reached for one of the machines and musingly touched the burns on their skin, "Ouchy, that must hurt"

John, standing only a few feet away form her, rubbed his head in frustration, "Allison, what are you doing here? You're supposed to be looking for...her."

John didn't want to reveal anything about Cameron in front of the Generals. He knew that the Generals had not yet questioned him on Allison Young and her twin terminator who he called "Cameron".

With guns still drawn in stricken fear, John protectively placed himself in front of the direct fire the soldiers. He really didn't want any itchy trigger fingers taking their chances on Allison.

John got up close and whispered to a calm and cool Allison, "What's going on? Why are these machines here?"

Allison smiled, "Look a little to your right."

John craned his neck to his right. He couldn't believe it. Martin Bedell was standing right there. And next to him was none other than Cameron. She was lively. She was active. She was completely repaired. For a second, John wondered if he was having a mirage or if he was experiencing the real thing.

Cameron emotionlessly acknowledged, "John."

John beamed, "Cameron."

John's heart raced in both relief, surprise, and anxiousness. He moved forward to greet her, but someone stopped him.

Allison tightly grabbed John's arms and whispered, "John, not here. Not in front of all these people."

John wanted to get angry, but Cameron nodded in agreement, encouraging him to go along with Allison. Neither could afford to let the Generals believe he was attached to Cameron. It was dangerous for both of them, but also for the entire resistance.

John whispered again to Allison, "I need a slap on the face right now because I really want to hug Cameron so badly."

Allison grudgingly agreed, "Yeah, maybe you need two slaps."

John added, "You know Cameron can hear us right?"

"Yeah, maybe, I just don't care. Listen, Cameron asked Bedell to come here."

John turned around to see Bedell approaching him quickly, "Captain? Why did Cameron ask you..."

Bedell smiled, "She wanted me to save your ass Connor and you can thank your cyborg Cameron for this crazy stunt she pulled because it nearly cost you your leadership."

John realized what Bedell was trying to do. Cameron knew she was going to get in trouble for bringing all these machines into the base, so she brought Bedell along to clean up her own mess.

Bedell immediately turned around, walked past the T-888s and greeted the crowd of both silent and frightened people.

One familiar General spotted Bedell among John and Allison and grew extremely excited.

"Captain? Captain Bedell?!" Perry sounded.

All eyes turned on the Captain and General Perry.

Bedell winked at Perry to go a long with his speech

Bedell shouted out loud so everyone could hear it, "General Perry, on behalf of the many imprisoned women, children, and captured soldiers, I just wanted to thank you and the rest of this committee for commissioning Connor and his allies to rescue us from Century City work camp. Without this committee's willingness to overcome their fear of the machines, you have saved us from what was certain death. I can never stress how thankful we feel and we hope you will continue this good work until we defeat the enemies of the resistance."

Bedell quickly garnered the attention of the soldiers distracted the rest of the T-888s.

Bedell started clapping loudly urging everyone else to join in. Suddenly, everyone started clapping. Bedell's emotionally arousing message got to them. John's reputation was saved from Cameron's little stunt.

Bedell swiftly exited and found Cameron standing alone, behind a few of the machines.

He quietly whispered to Cameron, "Get these machines the hell out of here!"

Cameron defended herself, "I didn't order them to go in to hurt anyone

Bedell shot back, "You think I was born yesterday?"

Cameron kept her stare. She quickly tilted her head, urging the machines to exit so they could lighten up the uneasy crowd.

John smiled. Visiting San Bernardino was a startling success. His reputation was saved and if he continued to play his cards right, he really could be a leader of the resistance.

* * *

John quickly grabbed Allison by her shoulders and spun her around, "Hey Allison."

"Woah, slow down tiger. I don't want to get dizzy."

"Sorry, listen, hold the fort down here. I need to step out of the military base so Cameron can explain a few things to me."

"Alright fine, when you're done making out, just get back down here so I can punch you in the face."

"I'm being serious Allison."

"Fine, go."

 **John and Cameron are standing outside, just over the underground resistance base...**

"Cameron, why did you send an army of soldiers to storm the base? It's no surprise you brought Bedell with you to clean up your own mess."

John took a seat on the front of a Jeep while Cameron stood next to him, observing her surroundings.

She explained, "I was worried for you."

John raised his hands up in the air, "So that's it, you were worried?"

"Yes."

John sighed, "Okay that is just irrational and we'll talk about this later. Just tell me, how did Allison save you?"

"She didn't."

He shook his head in confusion, "I don't understand."

"Weaver did."

"Weaver?! But how? How are you? But the tech guys at Derek's base fixed you didn't they?"

"No, Weaver fixed me too. There's something inside of me that is keeping me alive. It's Weaver's liquid metal." Cameron claimed.

"What?! Liquid metal?"

"It's what keeps me active."

"But! What!" He screamed.

John paced back and forth and clamped his fists together, "I don't know what to think. Having Weaver's metal inside you! Damn. It's not that I'm unhappy she fixed you, but to have something so foreign inside of you. It just seems wrong."

"The fix is only temporary."

"What do you mean temporary?"

"Weaver cannot function far away while a piece of her is inside of me."

John demanded, "What exactly did Weaver do when she saw you were shot?"

"My legs and chest were damaged. I could not walk at first. Once one bolt hit my chest, it pushed my nuclear power cell out of place. Weaver used some of her liquid metal to reroute the electrical flow."

John calmed himself down and forced a smile, "Well, as soon as we get back to Ziera Base, we'll get right on it. I know the tech guys there can help. And when we do get there, Weaver can remove her temporary fix."

But just as John had said that, someone jinxed the entire thing from behind their backs, "I'm sorry, but it can't wait."

John knew who it was and it was just too soon.

He groaned, "Weaver, you're here."

"Yes, I am."

Cameron turned around quickly and found Weaver in full form.

She asked, "What do you want?"

"You know what I want. I need the rest of my being returned to me."

John frustratingly protested, "Wait? Why now? This is the worst possible time!"

Weaver explained, "I cannot function very far without retrieving all my components and there are things I need to do. I'm afraid you will have to carry your cyborg back to your base Mr. Connor. She will not be active once I undo her repairs."

John wondered what 'things' Weaver was talking about.

Weaver reached out her hand to collect the liquid metal, but John stopped her, "Wait! Please, just give me a moment with her. I'm really happy you saved her so please just give me a chance to talk to her before she goes!"

Weaver didn't have to do it, but she relented, allowing befuddled John to have his moment with Cameron. She stood there and stared heavily on John.

John knew he didn't have much time, so he quickly whispered, "Cameron, lie down for me. I don't want you to fall when you deactivate."

"Yes John."

Cameron lied flat on the ground, her hands clasped together like she would if she were in a coffin.

John reached down to look into Cameron's eyes. They were so lost, so curious, so innocent. John couldn't hold it in anymore. He knew it along time ago. He loved Cameron. He had to kiss her goodbye.

John trembled as he squeezed Cameron's hands and hunched down. He lowered his nose only inches apart from Cameron's. His lips brushed hers, giving John the courage to kiss her again. But this time was different. John wanted to do it not out of sudden emotional and sexual passion. He wanted to do it because he truly loved Cameron. Just as John finally gained the resolve to kiss the terminator, something funny happened. Cameron kissed him. She had used her hands to force John downwards to her puckered lips. At Cameron's sudden and surprising movement, John pressed harder, not wanting to let go. After a minute, Weaver finally motioned to remove the metal from Cameron's body. As soon as John released himself from Cameron's lips, she was gone again. At least for a little while.

 _"At least until she's repaired."_ John thought.

* * *

 _This chapter has been cut in half unfortunately. I'll have to show you the rest in chapter 28 since I don't have the time to finalize all of the editing. In the next chapter, you will see more characters, explanations, and of course more Jameron that I wasn't able to show you in this chapter.  
_


	28. Patience

Chapter 28

 _This year, a TSCC fan asked Summer Glau whether or not she thought Allison could fall in love with John or whether John could fall in love with Allison in TSCC's third season. After a brief moment of thought, she answered "yes" to both questions. Don't get me wrong, Summer is still very much a "Jameron" supporter, but I'm glad she's honest about Allison and John's relationship as well._

 _Things will hopefully pick up again in Chapter 29, where the war between a united resistance and Skynet will begin to heat up. Yeah, this is where I begin to write the beginning of the end of this fun story._

 _If you notice any mistakes or problems in this chapter, please let me know. I don't want any of you thinking I'm putting little effort in this project because I really am doing my best!_

* * *

Kyle, Derek, and Jason finally rigged the thermite explosives Cameron revealed to them in the Skynet metal compound. At first, they thought it would take long to do, but all they really needed was to stick the remote detonator into a container of explosives and they were ready to go.

Once they did that, they quickly rushed back to their truck, making sure they kept themselves as far away as possible from the impending explosion. Once they were ready to blow the factory up, Derek prepared to trigger detonation through his wireless activator.

The men were unbearably excited. After all, this was a momentous occasion. They were taking part in a mission that could help them swing the long and hard fought war in favor of the resistance.

With heavy anticipation, Derek finally activated the detonator, "Alright, here it goes. One, two, three..."

 _click_

They were all ready, but there seemed to be a problem. There was no explosion.

In an eerie silence, Jason complained, "Hey Reese, did you activate the detonator?"

Derek scratched his head, "I'm pressing the trigger, but this stupid device isn't working. Maybe it's broken..."

Jason suggested, "Perhaps you should press it a little harder."

Derek gave the device a few more whacks, "No, I pressed it hard enough. I bet those geniuses back at base messed this thing up. Stupid technology."

Jason grew impatient and reached for the detonator, "Hey, hitting it won't help. I'm sure that if this device can fit in your pocket, it sure damn works, now give it to me and let me see what you did to screw this up."

Derek aggressively pulled himself away from Jason's grasp, "Oh no you don't. You might have been Kyle's hero back in the day, but, not today you aren't."

It suddenly struck Jason why Derek hardly liked him. He was jealous. Jason's head had been so deep up his own ass, he didn't even realize it.

"Derek...I...didn't."

Before he could finish his sentence, the ground suddenly shook in a loud explosion, dropping the stumbling men to the ground. Derek could feel the heat from so far away nearly burn his face. Cameron was right. If they had stayed any closer, they would have been toast. Literally.

They all crouched down, straining to see the glorious flames that filled their eyes with a bright light and an orangey hue. The men were completely entranced in the fire consuming the Skynet compound, not at all remembering what they were talking about only seconds before the explosion.

Kyle, who had been silent throughout the entire ordeal, finally spoke up, "Oh look. What's that?"

Kyle pointed towards a monstrous vehicle motioning it's way through the ashen smoke, tearing down and crushing everything in its path.

Derek wondered, "Is that a resistance truck? What's it doing out there?"

Jason shielded his forehead with his hand and squinted feverishly to make out the vehicle moving within the radiance of fiery destruction.

Once Jason recognized it, the hair on his neck grew stiff and he panicked, "Damn it! No! That's not a truck, it's an ogre! I've haven't seen those in ages. Let's move it guys before it spots us!"

Kyle asked, "Wait. Do they have flying HKs in this area?"

Derek shook his head, "No HK flight paths have been recorded here according to Allison. We're safe from aerial threats."

Jason wasted no time.

The Captain dashed towards the truck with lightning speed, "No time to chit chat fellows, let's the get the hell out of here because ogres can kill us too!"

Kyle smirked, "What's the matter Cameron? You afraid of a little Skynet tank?"

Jason shouted back, "That thing isn't little. I saw it take out an entire squadron of terminators before."

Just before Kyle and Derek made their way back to the truck, Derek stopped Kyle, "Hey Kyle, does Jason know about John's cyborg?"

Kyle nodded, "Yeah, he does. He just doesn't care."

Derek sighed, "Yep, that sounds like Jason."

Within the next hour, all three men arrived back at based, thrilled to tell the crowds of people what great feat they accomplished. In their hearts, each of the men knew that Cameron, Weaver, and John Henry were the individuals responsible for destroying the facility, but that didn't seem to bother any of them. Strangely, this is exactly what the cyborg resistance wanted because it was the perfect morale booster for the humans during a time of fear and uncertainty. Perhaps the humans did have a chance to beat Skynet throughout this new alliance.

* * *

 **Outside of Tech Facilities on Derek's Base...**

When Savannah got the details from Allison about Cameron's situation, she knew she had to see John. She dropped her work and found John standing outside in front of the tech building, pacing back and forth frantically.

John had spent his time gazing through an open window to see Cameron's dormant body lying there on the table in the tech facilities. Even though it bothered him, he allowed several mechanics and technicians to surround and work on her body while he kept his distance.

Savannah recalled that it had only been two hours since John got back from San Bernardino, but strangely, John didn't tell her that he was back like she expected him to do. Savannah decided to give him a pass on that because he was obviously too worried about Cameron to think about anyone else at he moment.

Once she caught up with John, she asked him in genuine concern, "John, John, are you okay?"

John folded his arms together, tensing up when Savannah came near him.

Keeping his stare at the entrance way, John waved her off, "I'm fine. I'm just tired, that's all."

Seeing that John would not look at her or admit what he was really feeling, she stood in front of John, forcing him to look up and at her. Savannah held onto John's hand and squeezed it gently. Unlike other people, John would never resist her touch. It was in no way a romantic or sensual touch, but more like that of a sister or a mother. In fact, if there was one thing Savannah knew, it was that John would never back away from her. He would never hurt her. It made Savannah feel very comfortable around John, much like she felt with Kyle.

She said, "Allison told me about Cameron! What happened out there? For one second Cameron is fine and functioning and then the next moment you, Allison, and Bedell are carrying her back to base? What's going on John?! Why's she going on and off?"

John blinked several times, trying to sum up in his head how to explain it to Savannah, "Weaver gave her a temporary fix. Long story short, we have to manually repair her because her body was always severely damaged. The tech guys are trying to fix her, but we'll have to wait and see."

"And you managed to take out the factory too? How on earth did Derek and Kyle make that possible?"

John gave Savannah an uncomfortable stare, immediately indicating who it was that managed to destroy it.

Savannah sighed, "It was Weaver wasn't it?"

John nodded, "Yeah, but on the bright side, it's bringing us one step closer to defeating Skynet."

Savannah frowned, "Good, but I'm not going to beat around the bush anymore so I'm going to say it straight. John, it's way past midnight. You need to sleep."

John scoffed like she was completely mad, "I'll sleep when she's fixed."

"John, don't you remember what we told you? You can't keep worrying about her or you'll tear yourself apart."

"I just can't leave her here all alone in front of these guys."

Savannah accused him, "Then why aren't you inside the tech lab watching those tech guys operate on her?"

John broke into a light sweat, "I don't want to see her like that. I just can't."

Savannah decided to settle the matter, "Fine, I'll watch her, you go sleep. You can't help her if you're tired."

"No, this isn't right. I shouldn't leave her. That's wrong."

Savannah wouldn't give in that easily so she gave explanation in an effort to convince the stubborn teenager.

She argued, "Look, I'm well rested, you are not. Cameron's damage is terrible, but you can't let her problems become problems for other people. So deal with it. Right now, you have to leave and rest so you can be ready for what lies ahead tomorrow. Go John, I'll look after her."

"Savannah, you don't understand."

She insisted, "Yes John I do understand! Allison is worried about Cameron too, but there's nothing she can do is there? She's having trouble sleeping because Cameron's hurt, but at least she's doing her best. You know what, I think maybe you should talk to her. She's pretty worried about her too."

"Allison doesn't need me. Cameron needs me."

Savannah put her hand on John's chest and her serious eyes gazed on his, "John, the entire resistance needs you. Go, I'll check up on Cameron and let you know what tinkering those guys are doing inside of her."

Savannah pushed John the direction of Allison's bunker, "Go John. Get out of here. I'll talk to you soon."

John aimlessly walked off, but for one second, he hesitated, stopped, and turned around.

He demanded, "Savannah, don't let her out of your sight."

"Trust me. You know I wouldn't do that. Now leave and don't turn back. It's what she'd want anyway."

* * *

 **Inside Allison's Bunker...**

Allison twisted and turned in her sleep. She rolled left to right, her neck dangling off her pillow. For some reason, her cot felt more uncomfortable than usual.

She cried out, "No, no, get away from me! No, no!"

Now drenched in sweat and tears, she moaned louder than she ever thought possible. Suddenly, someone grabbed her by her shoulder, scaring the daylights out of her. This was it. The end of times. She jerked out of her bed, drawing the gun underneath her pillow and aimed it towards her attacker.

Allison's eyes widely engulfed the image of none other than herself. Again it was Cameron. Allison ignored Cameron for one second to examine herself. She realized she never felt this way before. At least not since the day her parents died. She had a terrible mixture of nervousness and pain inside her stomach. Her head was throbbing furiously.

Allison composed herself to a raspy whisper, "What are you doing here? You scared me!"

Cameron stood silently by her bed unmoving.

The cyborg couldn't put it more bluntly, "I heard you scream. You are in distress."

Allison licked her dry lips and swallowed hard, "No, I'm fine."

Cameron's hand reached for Allison's neck before she could pull away, "I know your vitals. I sense your blood pressure is high and your heart level has elevated by one hundred and twenty-three beats."

Allison recoiled, covering herself with her bedspread, "Get away from me metal or I swear I'll shoot you."

"Shooting me will attract attention to yourself. You don't want that."

Allison countered, "And neither do you. Go away cyborg."

Cameron wasn't the least bit phased at Allison's moodiness. She somehow knew exactly what Allison was experiencing.

She determined, "You were dreaming about Steven Fletcher."

Allison denied it, "No I wasn't."

Allison wasn't going to budge. It seemed Allison was too closed off about Steven Fletcher that she wouldn't even mention his name. Cameron knew that Allison still struggled with nightmares about him. After all, who wouldn't be hurt when someone you cared about turned out to be a Skynet operative? Cameron knew she would never fully comprehend what Allison felt, but she did understand that humans felt this way in such situations. Cameron wanted to help.

Seeing there was no alternative to get Allison to talk about her dreams, Cameron decided to take matters into her own hands.

Tears suddenly poured out of Cameron's eyes. Her face crumpled together in agony. She started to sniff until she broke out in a loud bawl, "No, Steven, stop it. No, no, no!"

Allison screamed, "Cameron, what are you doing? Why are you sounding like that? What are you doing?!"

Cameron suddenly blanked out without an immediate response, her eyes fixed on the wall. It seemed so strange for Allison to watch her blank cyborg twin wipe away the tears smothered across her face.

After that sudden pause, the cyborg deadpanned, "I'm imitating what you said before I shook you awake."

Allison, now seeing that she couldn't hide it anymore, finally admitted, "Yeah fine, I was dreaming about Steven, so who cares?"

The terminator observed, "Your memories of him, they hurt you."

"Wow, what a brilliant observation." Allison jeered.

"I think I understand why your memories hurt you."

The human replied, "Oh really? And what have you come up with?"

Allison was skeptical. She didn't think Cameron would even come close to understanding what she felt on the inside.

The cyborg said, "I understand that some humans never forgive themselves for what they do in the past. They think that if they do a lot of good things, they can undo the bad things they've done. John thinks that doing good things can relieve people of the guilt they feel. But there are some things humans do where they cannot go back and fix it, like when you kill someone you care about."

Allison countered her insinuation, "I never killed anyone I cared about, so what you're saying is totally unrelated."

Cameron didn't believe Allison was telling the truth. She believed Allison truly did care about Steven Fletcher even though the young man betrayed the resistance and even tried to kill her. It was no secret that Allison hoped Fletcher could be saved. Allison hoped Steven could be rehabilitated from Skynet manipulation. It was only when she killed him, did she lose that chance to help him. Cameron knew this also.

The terminator admitted, "I know you feel guilty about killing Steven Fletcher, but there's nothing more you can do."

Allison shook her head, "Oh, and that's supposed to make me feel better somehow?"

"No. But it means that dwelling on the past is futile. You can only look to the future and ensure you do not repeat your past mistakes. That's all we can do. We're only human."

"You mean I'm only human."

Cameron had finally expunged everything she wanted to say about Steven. Despite everything she said to take Allison's mind off Steven, she couldn't change Allison's mind of focus.

In an effort to take her mind off things, she randomly replied, "John and I kissed."

"You what?"

Suddenly taken aback, Allison shook herself out of her own anger and realized, "Oh, I see what you're trying to do. You're trying to take my mind off Steven. No, that's not going to work."

"With tongue."

"Huh?"

"We kissed with tongue."

"Ewww, gross!" Allison covered her face in dismay.

Cameron divulged, "John seemed to like it."

Allison shouted, "Alright! Out, out, out! Get out of my head. I'm don't want to talk to you anymore!"

As Cameron turned around to walk away, one side of her mouth lifted slightly, knowing fully well Allison wouldn't dwell on Steven much longer.

Just as Cameron was about to disappear, Allison just remembered, "Oh, before you go Cameron, I just wanted to ask you. Why did you want to set me up with John after you got...you know, got killed? And did you talk to John about that whole thing yet?"

"No."

"Well, I bet that's going to be an awkward conversation.

Cameron tilted her head slightly, "Why would it be awkward?"

"Ah never mind. Just tell me what were your motives were in getting me to, ya know, marry John and stuff."

"I wanted to keep John safe. You are an adequate protector and like Savannah, you can help him to function at both the most physically and emotionally stressful of situations."

"Anything else?"

"Yes, a martial union between you two would secure the alliance between each resistance as well as ensure a suitable heir to the leadership subsequent to John's death."

"Wow, you really are loyal. You're not just looking out for John, you're looking out for the entire resistance."

Cameron explained, "It was my mission and my promise to future John that I would do what was necessary to secure this alliance. That's why I left him in the past."

Allison added, "And so when I found him naked in the middle of Derek's base wearing Kyle's coat, he obviously went to the future searching for you."

Cameron nodded, "Yes, because he in loves me and not you."

"Okay, shut up! I know he said he loved me too!"

"He lied to you to cheer you up."

"Okay, now you've done it! Go away! Get out!"

"You can't make me."

"What will it take to make you leave me alone?"

"Tell me about Jason."

* * *

 **Inside the Mess Hall...**

It was nearly 2 o' clock in the morning when Captain Bedell had finally found Sarah seated alone inside the Mess Hall. Sarah appeared to be the only one human inside the mess hall besides himself. After a few brief glances around the empty building, he flashed a quick smile at the General. Bedell noticed that Sarah was eating. He just guessed that her eating patterns differed from the rest of the resistance so that she had to eat way past midnight. Either way, it didn't really bother him.

He announced, "Hello General, Savannah Weaver said you wanted to see me?"

Sarah motioned Bedell to take a seat in front of her, "Yes Captain, I just wanted to thank you for saving my son from that near catastrophe."

"Well, what can I say. It's my job."

"Well, I appreciate it either way."

Bedell took a quick glance at the food Sarah was eating. It had a horrid smell and it made him gag on the inside.

He asked, "Oh my General, what are you eating? Is that like some sort of black porridge? Why is it black?"

Sarah commented, "I don't know what it is Captain and I don't want to know. That's why I asked the cooks not to tell me either. I'm just glad it preserves my energy much better than that slop most of the resistance eats. So please, no more questions about my nutritional choices."

Bedell nodded, "Fair enough."

Sarah returned to the previous subject, "I thought we all nearly blew it. However, it was your intervention that saved this alliance from falling apart. I'm glad that people still think you're a credible member of the resistance, unlike Derek Reese."

"Reese?"

Sarah gritted her teeth, "Yeah, Reese."

Bedell shook his head in repudiation, "Why do you say it like it's a disgusting to say Derek Reese's name? Did he do something to piss you off?"

Sarah frowned, "That's none of your business Captain."

Bedell agreed, "Perhaps, if Derek Reese actually knew what he did to you. But he's made it pretty clear he holds no animosity towards you and neither should you. General, unless you're anger is misplaced, you need to get rid of it, because the resistance has no time for grudges."

Sarah was taken aback at Bedell's boldness. While she didn't like it, she knew Bedell was right. Grudges could only hurt the resistance, not help it.

Sarah confessed, "He died."

"Who, Derek Reese?"

Bedell connected the dots, "You mean in your past?"

"Yes, after Kyle died, he died too. He was all I had left, and he died."

Bedell frowned in confusion, "But I thought he died trying to save you and John. What's wrong with that?"

Sarah groaned, "Everything is wrong with that! He left us when we needed him most."

Bedell smiled and shook his head confidently, "You got it wrong General Connor."

"What did you say to me Captain? I'm a superior officer who has the courtesy to thank you in person and this is how you dare talk to me?"

Bedell answered, "Listen to me General, Derek Reese didn't leave you when you needed him most, he left you because you needed him most."

Sarah paused, gazing in silence. He understood what Bedell meant. Derek sacrificed himself to protect Sarah's family, and so he left her. While Sarah didn't like it, he did it out of necessity, and maybe...even...love.

Bedell added, "Look, this is not the same Derek Reese. Give this one a chance. Maybe he won't get killed next time. After all, I think he's got the hots for you."

Sarah coughed up her spoonful of dark sludge, "Excuse me?!"

Bedell quickly got up and made his way out, "Well, would you look at the time. I'm late for, um...my men need me. I better get going. Goodbye General."

* * *

 **Inside Tech Facilities...**

When Ellison found out Savannah Weaver was in the Tech facilities looking out for Cameron, he knew he had to visit her and see how she was doing. After all, he hadn't talked to her recently and he felt like they had some catching up to do.

The two talked for hours before they agreed to take a break for a few minutes. The two silently watched through a narrow window as a few vague men operated on barely visible body inevitably belonging to Cameron. For a few minutes Savannah watched in concern, but quickly lost her thoughts to other things.

"Uncle James, why don't you tell everyone what happened with you and aunt Sarah after John left for the future?"

"Sarah made me promise I wouldn't tell. I'm sorry I can't tell you why, but I always keep my promises."

"Okay then, but Uncle James, do you think aunt Sarah's right? Do you think that there's no fate but what we make?"

The former federal agent responded, "I think that no matter what we do, everything happens in God's plan."

"So you think our fate is in God's hands and not our own?"

Ellison agreed, "Yes, I would think so."

"So we don't have free will then? We're just like cyborgs that do whatever we're told?"

"Not quite Savannah. I've explained this to you before."

"It's just so hard to understand you sometimes."

"I know it is, but why are you asking me this now? It's as if you're a little red headed kid asking me hundreds of questions every minute."

Savannah smiled in the nostalgia, "Well, I was just thinking, John Henry hasn't forgotten anything you've taught him. He still holds firm to everything you say like it's gospel."

"It is gospel."

Savannah's cheeks reddened in embarrassment, "Oh yeah, hah, that's right. But what I mean is that he hasn't changed his mind since. Everything you taught him is the foundation of everything he does."

"Well, if you put it like that it seems my influence on him has major importance."

"Yeah it does."

"Do you not like the fact that John Henry holds these principles?"

"No, I think it's good that you've taught him all these things."

James Ellison grew curious. He wondered what exactly was on Savannah's mind.

He decided to ask Savannah, "Why?"

Savannah answered, "Well, I like John Henry a lot, but I'm not sure that he has a conscience like humans do. This means he lacks moral principles outside of what you teach him. Unless he holds on to everything you taught him, he might become susceptible to manipulation from Skynet. Yet worse, John, Allison, or even Weaver could manipulate him into doing something that's terribly wrong. I mean, I'm not saying they would, but they could though."

"So you're happy with everything about John Henry."

"Yes, I think you've made John Henry the best that he can be."

Ellison nodded, "Good."

Savannah smiled, "Great. But right now, I really hope they fix Cameron soon. John's really stressed out. I had a tough time convincing him to go back to sleep"

Ellison smirked, "You think John's having it hard, but not like Allison."

Savannah quirked an eyebrow, "What do you mean not like Allison?"

He smiled, "Well, John's hoping they can fix her, but I'm sure Allison's praying that they won't be able to."

Savannah shook her head, "Oh come on uncle James! Allison likes Cameron!"

"Well, when Skynet made a copy out of me, I can tell you I didn't like it."

"WHAT?! What?! You mean Allison's not the only one? Skynet made a terminator that looked like you? Why didn't you tell me?!"

Ellison smiled, "That's another story for another time Savannah."

"Awww, come on!"

* * *

 **Back inside Allison's Bunker...**

Allison sat up against an open wall with Cameron sitting right next to her in an identical position. The only difference in their seating position was that Allison's hands were hanging on each side while Cameron's hands were neatly clasped together between her legs.

Allison sulked, "You know it's not like, like, I didn't like Steven you know."

Cameron made no response.

She continued, "Well, I mean, I just didn't love him. I just didn't feel the same way. I knew I'd break his heart, but I figured if I let him down forthright, it would hurt less than if I waited it out. It was the wisest move I think. I never expected him to betray the resistance because of what I did. If I knew Steven would lose it like he did, I would never have left him. And then maybe, I wouldn't have killed him."

A tear trickled down the left side of Allison's cheek.

Cameron preferred to stay silent, simply analyzing the amount of dust that was on the floor.

Allison wiped away the tear and turned to her cyborg friend, "Hey Cameron?"

Cameron turned as well to meet her eyes, "Yes Allison."

She sniffed, "Thanks for the talk. I know you said not to dwell in the past, but talking about it really helps me cope. Maybe I will sleep soundly without nightmares after all!"

"You're welcome."

Allison sighed and shook her head.

Cameron asked, "What is it?"

"Cameron, you're not really there are you?"

"No, I am still deactivated and being repaired inside of the tech lab."

"So why do I picture myself talking to you when I'm in grief? Why are you the embodiment of my hidden subconscious?"

"I represent a calm and carefree attitude. You feel that you can talk to me when you're hurting and that you can relate to me the most when you're confused or upset."

Allison admitted, "Yep, that's probably true."

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Allison blinked twice and Cameron wasn't there anymore. She realized she was looking at her mirror."

She sighed as she got off the ground to answer the door, "Yeah, I'm going crazy."

Before she went for the door, she guardedly reached for her gun and removed the safety.

A muffled voice from behind Allison's door sounded out, "Don't bother with the gun underneath your pillow Allison. It's me John."

Allison cautioned, "It could be a terminator pretending to be you. It could even be Skynet taking over another one of our friendly machines!"

"Seriously Allison? The voice modulators in all our machines are removed. So unless you think some random Skynet machine can waltz right into our heavily guarded base, imitate a voice it's probably never heard before, and by chance happen upon your specific bunker, I think you're pretty safe in assuming it's me John Connor."

Allison opened the latch and unlocked the door.

She yanked it open and deadpanned to John now standing in front of her, "Nobody likes a smartass."

John, finally visible to Allison, shot back, "Nobody likes a pain in the ass either."

John invited himself in and sat down on Allison's bed.

With a bit of sarcastic enthusiasm, Allison joked, "Yeah, why don't just barge in here and invade a girl's privacy whenever you want?"

He smiled, "Thanks Allison. I'll hold you to that."

Allison put her hands on her hips and frowned, "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Cameron?"

"Savannah says you're having trouble sleeping."

"A little, yeah."

"Is it because of Cameron?"

"No, I told Savannah I was worried about her to get her off my back, but that's not what's bothering me the most. Savannah's a very pressing person you know that?"

John nodded, "Yeah, I bet. But only because she cares."

"Well yeah, it's just I just didn't think I could talk to her about it."

"What is bothering you anyway if you don't mind me asking?"

Allison didn't want to say it, but she needed to move past it. She couldn't close herself off. She needed to accept the past for what it was and move on.

She answered, "Steven."

John suddenly regretted asking, "Oh, sorry I didn't mean..."

Allison shook her head,"...No, don't worry about it. I had a very pleasant conversation with Cameron just now. I realized that it's pointless to dwell in the past. I can only look to the future."

John shook his head in disbelief, "Um, Allison, Cameron's not here."

"Oh, I'm sorry, I meant the hallucinations in my head."

John drew a look of concern but smirked slightly, "Yeah, you're screwing with me aren't you?"

"Sure." She lied.

"So what do you have in mind for the future anyway?"

Allison flashed a sensual look at John, "Oh, I have some ideas."

John cleared his throat, "Ahem! Um, okay, yeah, I'm sorry I asked that. I just wanted to check up on you because for the first time in a long time I have nothing to do but wait on Cameron to be fixed. And even then I'm not sure I can wait."

"Don't worry about it. She'll be fine. Oh, that reminds me. When you kissed Cameron, did you use tongue?"

"Huh? What? That's...that's none of your business."

John cringed at such an off putting question from Allison. In fact, it was the one trait that John disliked about both Cameron and Allison was they were too direct. It was like they were completely insensitive of other people's feelings. John wondered if it was because they didn't recognize what they were doing or they just didn't care, but he eventually concluded it was a little bit of both.

Allison pressed him harder, "John, don't waste my time. It's no surprise you forced your lips on a terminator and it's no surprise either that I think that's just weird. But all I want to know is if you used tongue. If you don't answer, I'll ask Cameron when you reactivate her and I'll let her describe to me the experience."

"Fine! No, no, we didn't use...tongue."

"Yes, ha! She was wrong!"

John frowned, "Who was wrong?"

Allison grinned, "Oh never mind that. Anyway, speaking of kissing, I figured it out."

"Figured out what?"

"When you said I'd get a kiss for saving Cameron, you weren't talking about you giving me a kiss were you?"

John's eyes shifted left to right as innocently as possible, "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do, you were going to get Cameron to kiss me. That's a pretty sick joke John."

"It wasn't my idea. Savannah suggested it and I thought it'd be funny."

Allison screamed, "That traitor! How could she do such a thing?"

John replied, "Never mind that Allison. Just tell me, do you think you'll be okay, I mean with Steven and all?"

"Yeah, I think so."

John motioned himself to get off the bed, "Well, maybe I should go now."

Allison, suddenly realizing what John was doing, grabbed him and forced him bad into bed, "Wait! Enough about me, what's going on with you? Why aren't you with Cameron anyway?"

"I can't bring myself to look at her like that."

Allison sympathized, "I think I know what you mean. It's kind of like seeing her when she's vulnerable or naked isn't it?"

"Something like that. It's a weird feeling. I can't explain it."

Allison smiled, "Hey, if we're lucky, she'll have to get a new body and you'll finally choose me over her."

John frowned, "First of all, that's not funny and I'm not that shallow anyway."

"Sometimes I wish you were."

John looked up to Allison with confidence, "Then you wouldn't really care about me that much would you?"

Allison stared at him in surprise.

She scooted a little closer to John, leaned on his shoulder, and grinned, "You are smarter than you look you know that?"

* * *

 **Intelligence HQ...**

Kyle had finally finished his afternoon training the young recruits. But let's just say he wasn't in a good mood. Deep inside the core of his mind, he cursed Derek for whatever the hell he was doing. Derek promised him that he would take over the training for today, but he was nowhere to be seen. Kyle really wanted to spend time with Savannah, but that opportunity was cut short because Derek was missing. He later decided he'd get Derek to pay for it later.

In search of Derek, he happened upon Jason inside Intelligence headquarters. He noticed that the cyborg resistance Captain was dressed for combat, thoroughly cleaning his plasma rifle.

Kyle sighed, "Jason, what are up to now?!"

Jason lifted his gaze, "Hey Sergeant, you know I've been thinking about you. I noticed we haven't really talked much since I came back. Maybe we should get a drink some time."

Kyle chuckled, "Yeah, me and drinking? No, that's never going to happen. Not ever again. Hangovers are the worst. And where the hell is Derek?"

The Captain chuckled, "Well, it was a worth a try. Oh, I asked Derek to ship us some more weaponry down to base from our supply units on Weaver's base. The weaponry he's carrying will be helpful for my men when we move into the outskirts of Los Angeles."

Kyle got back to the point, "Okay seriously Jason, what are you doing in the outskirts of Los Angeles? We're not up for any training or military exercises and we're definitely not going into battle. So why are you in combat uniform?"

Jason explained, "Since our anti-Skynet operations are put on hold until the rest of the resistance leaders in San Bernardino decide their official stance on John Connor, Derek, General Connor, and I are going on a mission of my own approved by Weaver and General asshat."

"Mission? Asshat? Wait, General Perry approved this?"

Jason quirked his eyebrow, "Why do you look surprised?"

"Well, you know you're kind of insane. So the fact that you and General Perry agree means either you have become a sensible man or that General Perry is starting to lose his mind."

Jason shook his head again, "Nope. I'm still crazy."

Kyle answered, "I really don't like this Jason. We just did a crazy thing and blew up a Skynet metal factory. Don't you think we should wait it out while we're on top. We don't want to screw anything up for someone who happens to be my son!"

"Relax, we're simply going on a manhunt. Nothing stupid."

"Manhunt? For who?"

"After Perry left me for dead, I met another deserter from the army. We were close friends before I joined Weaver's army. Before I left, I promised I'd look for him if we ever got separated. I plan to keep that promise."

"Spit it out Jason! What's this person's name?"

"His name is Fischer, Charles Fischer."

* * *

 **Just Outside of Tech Facilities...**

Savannah had found John wide awake, standing in the same spot she found him last time. It was only dawn, but John seemed worried. The tech people had not yet said anything about Cameron's situation. Savannah ran out of tech facilities to meet him.

"John, did you actually go home or were you here all night?"

"No, I fell asleep a little bit, but I came back a short while ago."

Savannah nodded, "Oh, good, you slept. For some reason, Allison wouldn't tell me where you were because I couldn't find you in your bunker."

"Wait, Allison's in there? She's in the tech lab?"

Savannah assured him, "Yeah, of course, along with uncle James. Why do you look surprised though? You know she kind of cares about Cameron too even if she won't admit it."

John answered, "Oh I know. Um..so did you hear anything new on Cameron?"

"No, they're still working on her since last night. I think they're struggling to fix a joint inside her leg, but whenever they're ready, they'll talk to you. I must say though, these guys working on Cameron are awfully dedicated. Did you threaten them somehow to fix her damaged body?"

John tried to weasel his way out of Savannah's accusation, "Well, no, I mean, I just gave them extra incentive to fix her soon."

In truth, John had bribed the tech guys by offering them the right resource to build and create new technology for the resistance. That is of course through the help of John Henry. It really was a win/win situation because the resistance could get new tech and Cameron could be repaired as quickly as possible

Savannah invited him in, "Well John, why don't you go in and see their progress on Cameron?"

John shook his head and backed away, "I explained this already. I can't."

"Why not? If you care about her you should come in and see her."

"You have to understand that it doesn't matter that Cameron is a machine. It really doesn't hurt me at all despite how human she looks. But I'm afraid that if I see too much of her...exposed, I'll look at her differently. I don't want that to happen."

"John, I don't think any amount of metal will change what you think of Cameron."

"I know, but I don't think I'm ready to test myself out. I had a really bad dream about it and I'd hate to see that dream become reality."

"Okay, I think I understand. Don't worry about it."

"I'm glad you understand."

Just as she was about to go back, Savannah turned around to say one more thing, "Hey John, I've been in there for quite awhile. I think I should help you kill some time. Any moment, those leaders in San Bernardino are going to approve you for your leadership in the resistance. Until then, how about you and I go for some target practice?"

John turned to Savannah, "Huh? Target practice? Now?"

Suddenly, Savannah changed the subject again, "Hey, what's that on your neck?"

John rubbed his neck, "What?"

Savannah pointed to the right side of his neck, "It's a bite mark...it's, it's, a hickie!"

"A what?"

"A hickie! You know, like a love bite. Like after a passionate make-out session, people leave a bite mark on their lovers' necks."

John felt a slight bruise on his neck and panicked, "Ouch! That hurts. Where did that come from?"

Savannah's mouth resembled an "O" shape, "Oh my gosh! You really were with Allison weren't you! That must be why she was smiling so much when I saw her today."

John vehemently denied whatever dirty thoughts were forming in Savannah's curious mind, "No, no, no. Stop smiling like that. We didn't do anything. We just talked a lot and then I fell asleep. I don't even remember what happened. I just fell asleep on her bed and when I woke up, she wasn't even there."

Savannah mocked him in disbelief, "Sure..."

John pleaded, "No, honest! She must have bitten me while I was sleeping."

"Mmmhmmm."

John emphasized, "It must be her way at getting back at me for that joke we tried to pull on her."

Savannah smiled, "Hm. Well, when Cameron wakes up, she's going to see it on your skin and she'll know it's Allison that gave it to you. Talk about awkward explanations."

John broke out into a sweat, "Damn! Allison!"

Savannah replied, "Like I said before, let's do some target practice to take your mind off everything."

"Really? Target practice?"

"Well, you know how everyone else including Allison and Derek shoot at stuff, I'd figure the two of us got to give it a go. I mean, it's really stress relieving."

John smiled, "Come on Savanna, you're no match for me."

"Oh really? Why's that? Because I'm a girl?"

"No, the only reason I don't shoot is that I'd beat every human being on this base."

"Wow, feeling cocky today?"

"No, I'm just better than you. There's nothing cocky about that."

"Alright then, bring it on."

John laughed, almost ecstatically at the thought of competing with Savannah.

Savannah folded her arms and frowned, "What's so funny?"

John pointed out, "You see that guard behind you? He's right there on the observation deck just above?"

Savannah turned around and looked up, "Yeah I see him, but what's that got to do with anything?"

He answered, "If I draw my gun and shoot the weak right panel beneath the flooring, the entire side of the tower will collapse, sending him to his death."

"Why would you even think or know about that?"

John explained, "My mother taught me to survive. I always need to know my exits. I always need to know the weak points. I always needed to know and have a safe place to run when danger struck. That's why I find it funny that you think you can beat me. Because if you can beat me in anything, everything my mom taught me will be in vain. I will win because I have to win. It's in my blood to survive."

Savannah almost forgot how trained John really was in fighting terminators. Even though John never really got a change to show off his prowess, it was no secret John meant business when he engaged Skynet. However, that wasn't the part that concerned Savannah the most.

She said, "Well that's the first time you brought up your mom."

John's eyes widened in concern, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"You've been ignoring aunt Sarah for weeks! Did you even know she had a terrible headache yesterday?"

"No."

"Did you know she wanted to talk to you today?"

"No."

"Damn it John, you don't care about your own mother! After all you went through to find her, and now that she's back, you don't even care."

John recoiled at Savannah's sudden lash of anger, "I do care! You wouldn't understand."

"I do understand that you're selfish. You don't think I feel bad about your mom's situation? If I could stop the cancer waiting to kill her, I would, but I can't! But what I don't understand is why you're being a cold hearted son of a bitch. Why are you ignoring her? Is it because you two have a few disagreements?"

"That's not it." John interrupted.

Savannah wouldn't stop, "Why don't you trust us to be there for you when your mom won't be? Why do you think future John sent Cameron back? Isn't it obvious future John sent her back to save you? To help you cope with your mom's death?"

John angrily shouted, "Don't bring Cameron into this!"

Savannah already knew why John wouldn't talk to his mom. She knew that John was afraid of losing his mom again and feeling the pain of her death. That's why Savannah kept provoking her with all her remarks. But before Savannah could coax John with a few more taunts to get him to spill it all out, a familiar woman had walked right in on their conversation.

Allison interrupted, "Don't bring Cameron into what?"

John shifted around to see Allison had just exited the tech facility to meet with them. Rather than laughing out loud or poking fun at him, Allison's face seemed as blank as a white sheet of paper. John's mind couldn't wrap around what was happening.

He stammered, "Um, um, it's nothing."

Allison ignored it, "Whatever. So John, they're going to put Cameron back online."

John stood still, unsure of what to do. He felt nervousness and excitement cloud his stomach.

Savannah urged him, "Come on John, what are you waiting for? You have to go! She's fixed now!"

* * *

 **Inside Tech Facilities...**

John raced into the tech lab, ignoring all the scientists, mechanics, researchers, and other personnel hard at work. John could really only guess how much technological wizardry was involved in creating anti-Terminator weaponry, but his mind was elsewhere.

He didn't even recognize Allison and Savannah who were following him from behind.

For that moment, John forgot about everything else. He forgot that he was overworking Derek's manpower and resources to get Cameron fixed. He forgot that there were many more machines out there that needed fixing. He delayed it all in order to save Cameron first. Yes, Savannah did her best to keep John focused on preserving the resistance, but that wasn't going to stop him from putting Cameron ahead of everything else.

John shifted to his left, went down the hall, and found the room where Cameron's body laid. He stormed in without delay finding several men preoccupied with the terminator that was lying at the center of the room.

He found Savannah right next to him, but Ellison seemed to be missing. John didn't bother to ask for his whereabouts.

He just got straight to the point, "You're bringing her back online?"

The numerous lab coats turned around, nervously facing John and blocking Cameron out of John's view.

One of the technicians from the group tasked with repairing Cameron answered, "Sir before we bring the machine back, you have to understand we only have experience taking T-888s apart. This model has many similarities to the T-888, but we've never found a machine like this one."

"Why's that important? You screw something up?"

He explained with more caution to the frustrated teenager, "Please sir. Look inside the machine."

John frowned, "You know the name Cameron is far easier to say."

The same man speaking with John swallowed hard, but didn't respond to his statement.

The group of lab coats quickly parted, distancing themselves from Cameron's body so John could truly see her for the first time since they kissed.

John's eyes widened in curiosity at what he saw. He knew he didn't want to look at her like this, but he knew he had to see her when before she came back online. John observed an inactive Cameron with eyes still closed, still wearing those dark skin tight jeans and her military combat boots. Her blue jacket and undergarments were removed, exposing her entire front side, but thankfully the technicians were modest enough to use a white thin blanket to cover up her chest.

Interestingly enough, it wasn't Cameron's breasts that caught John's attention anyhow. It was the metal below that made his jaw drop. John saw that they had cut open her belly and removed the large flap of flesh covering the metal. It was disturbing. It was sick. Even if Cameron couldn't feel it, it was horrible to see the little bits of synthetic blood spattered on the operating table beneath her.

Gleaming through the openings of her abdomen was her hyperalloy spine. It was the metal composite designed by Skynet to protect itself against gunfire.

John replied, "Is her breast plate repaired?"

"No sir, there was no need to repair it. The bolts that hit the machine's chest protection deflected. It was just the power cell underneath the breast plate that we needed to repair. It appears a plasma bolt knocked it out."

"What do you mean knocked it out?"

"The nuclear power fell out of place. All we had to do was reconnect the wiring from under the breastplate and we fixed her power source."

John felt sudden gratification to know that, but he sensed there was a "but" coming along.

John warned, "So why isn't she on yet? Put her back on already or I'll do it for you!"

John's patience was put on the test, but technician, whose last name happened to be Williams, pointed out in a calm manner, "Look at this part of her body."

Williams pointed to a deactivated Cameron's lower chest.

John frowned, "What's that?"

Williams responded, "This here is one of the reasons we're reluctant to switch the terminator back on. She has a digestive tract mostly in her chest. Which machine has a digestive tract? That's just crazy!"

A second mechanic added, "Whatever Skynet used this machine for, it was not meant just to kill Allison Young, it was meant to replace her. There's no way one could think she's a machine unless you had a metal detector!"

Allison heard there comments, but didn't bother say anything. She didn't feel she could add anything helpful to the conversation anyway. All she really could gather was that Cameron was super advanced terminator that looked exactly like her, but besides that, there was really nothing else to point out.

John smiled, "Yeah, well, she's an infiltrator. I've seen her eat before. She's special that way."

Williams explained, "Indeed. We just don't want to ruin the intricate processes inside of her. We're afraid we might have done so already. We could easily put the CPU in another body, but that doesn't seem to work for you. All we know for sure is that her nuclear power cell is back in place and thankfully undamaged. Her joints in her legs and arms are also replaced with the parts of a T-888. However, her fluid containment unit is under her chest may also compromised. It appears to be the most sensitive of her various parts."

"I'm afraid to ask, but what do you mean by fluid containment unit?" John frowned in uncertainty.

Williams replied, "Oh there are several. For example, her body somehow generates a salty solution similar to tears that is stored in her body. We believe Skynet implanted this in her system also as a means for infiltration."

Another technician, who happened to be a woman, added, "I'd also like to point out how unique her metal composition is. It's harder than the T-888 model and there seems to be some kind of sensory system imbedded in her metal structure."

John knew exactly what she was talking about.

With confidence, he assuringly answered, "Sensation."

Williams scratched his head, "What?"

"Cameron claims to experience sensation. So maybe that sensory system you speak of is what gives her sensation."

The lab coats turned and looked at each other in complete astonishment. They had never seen a terminator as advanced as Cameron that it could have the ability to do the impossible...to feel. It was amazing, yet extremely scary to know how far Skynet had gone. They realized that if Cameron didn't know any better, she could easily convince herself that she was human.

Allison, who stood silently behind John through the entire conversation, finally spoke up, "Well I think you guys are trying to delay the inevitable. We can't know if you did something to hurt her unless we actually ask her! So no more games. Just put her back online please."

John made a complete 360, almost surprised to see Allison was behind him. He finally realized that he had zoned out on his surroundings ever since he entered the tech lab.

Williams nodded in a bit of reluctance, "Fine, I'm putting her chip back in her head right now."

He reached for Cameron's CPU, opened the flap of skin on her head, and locked the chip into place. Once he heard the click that locked the chip into the place, John remembered just how precious her CPU was. She could carry an artificial intelligence on her advanced chip, something a T-888's chip could not do. After several seconds, the deep whirring inside Cameron's head became very noticeable. John watched for what he felt like hours for Cameron to wake up. Finally John saw something. She flinched and her eyes shot open, darting everywhere as if she were confused or scared.

Cameron's HUD identified several resistance members within the circumference of the room. Finally, her darting eyes rested on John's worried face.

He raced over to Cameron in a bit of a panic, unsure whether she was herself or not.

He asked in deep concern, "Cameron, are you okay? Is everything good in there? Are you alright?"

Cameron paused to assess her situation. Last time she was online, she recalled the power draining out of her systems a second time. It was a terrible feeling, but she couldn't remember what it felt like. She took another glance at John. She knew who he was. She knew he was in love with her. It was John Connor.

She answered him, "Yes, all systems are running at optimal performance."

The tech guys and girls floundered in relief. They were so glad to know they hadn't done anything to ruin Cameron's body. If there was even one single problem, they feared John would just blow up in fiery wrath.

John committed his focus completely to Cameron, who still seemed to be preoccupied in calibrating her systems.

Cameron suddenly figured out her location, "I'm in the tech lab."

He laughed in alleviation, "Yeah, yeah you are."

"I'm fixed."

"Yeah, I think so. Weaver isn't inside of you anymore."

"That's good."

"Yeah, that's very good."

"John?"

"Yes Cameron?"

"There's something we need to do."

"What is it?"

Cameron announced, "We need to talk."

John grew concerned, "Where, here?"

Cameron replied, "In private."

John turned around, waving his arms in the direction of the exits, "Everybody out! I need to be alone"

No one questioned John. They left without a response, unwilling to get between the man and his beloved cyborg.

* * *

Even though Allison didn't like it, she decided give John space with Cameron. It seemed like the perfect opportunity for a "vulnerable" Cameron to wrap her metal fingers around John's neck. She hated it, but she ignored it for now. On her way out of the tech lab, she ran into Savannah, who had watched the entire scene go down just as she did.

Savannah said, "Hey Allison. It's funny that as soon as Cameron wants something, John stops at nothing to give it to her."

Allison supported that statement, "Yep, we'll have to ask John to keep that on the down low. He needs to show the people he controls the machines, not vice versa. We don't want them thinking that Cameron's the leader of the entire resistance."

"Right. I'll remember that. Oh, and you know what I've also noticed? The two of us never had a real conversation recently."

"Yeah you're right."

"Oh, that reminds me, I was suggesting that John and I have a game of target practice, but if I can get you and Cameron to join in, that is, when all that skin heals up on her body, we can try something else."

"Well, what do you have in mind?"

"You'll see. But I want to do something that will make it fair. John's convinced that he can beat everyone on the entire base in target practice, even you!"

Allison scoffed, "In his dreams maybe!"

"Well, if you want to test him out, I say we have a paintball fight with those training weapons Derek and Kyle use with those young recruits."

With a bit of excitement, Allison accepted Savannah's invitation, "That's great. I can't wait."

"So Allison, why did you bite John on his neck?"

Allison smirked, "Oh, so he figured it out?"

Savannah shook her head, "No, I did."

"Ah John, he's pretty clueless guy without us females."

"You got that right."

Allison explained, "Well, screwing around with John is my way of showing him affection."

"If you think that's love, you've got a funny way of showing it."

"Oh yes I do." Allison smiled.

* * *

As soon as John saw they were gone, he knew he couldn't hold it in anymore. He couldn't hold back his tears, anymore. He brought himself closer, sat on the large metal table, and leaned on Cameron so he could give her a big hug. It felt strange to do it though, because she was lying flat on the table. Fortunately, that didn't bother John one bit. He didn't even realize the blood stains that were messing up his uniform.

He gently moved his head to rest on her chest. He was very comfortable in such a position, but he noticed that there was no heartbeat. It was a cold reminder of what he struly was but John paid no more attention to that.

"I missed you." He said.

Cameron tilted her neck upwards. She really wasn't sure what else to say. Of course Cameron would miss John if she were conscious enough to say it, but she wasn't, so technically speaking, she couldn't say she missed John too.

Rather, she decided to stay honest, and answered, "Thank you."

"C-can you move?"

"Yes, but if I move, my living tissue won't heal correctly."

Even though Cameron said she was alright. John wanted her to say it again. He needed her to assure him she was alright.

John moved his head off Cameron's chest to look straight back in her eyes, "Oh okay. But are you sure you're all fixed on the inside? I employed all these guys to get you completely fixed as soon as possible."

"I'm okay, but you didn't need to do all that John."

"Yes I did. Because I don't want to do this without you."

John continued to gaze into Cameron's calm face. He stroked the side Cameron's head like he had done before. Cameron didn't resist. Rather, she looked into John's eyes, almost as if she was lost for words.

Seeing that Cameron had nothing to say in return, John asked, "Cameron, you said you wanted to talk to me alone, what's up?"

"Up?"

"I mean, what do you want to talk to me about?"

"Us."

John swallowed hard, "What about us?!"

"You tell me not to risk myself, not to endanger my body because I'm important, but you are important as well. Yet you put yourself in danger many times just like I do. You don't listen to me when I tell you not to do something."

John ceased stroking the side of Cameron's head. He was slightly upset that Cameron had said this to him right after he saved her once again. It was just like the time Cameron told him "you can no longer be trusted". It hurt him badly. He knew Cameron was only trying to protect him, much like she was doing right now, but John noticed that Cameron still showed no will to live. She showed no thankfulness or appreciation when he saved her. In that way, it hurt John that Cameron wasn't human, as she could not fully understand the importance of her own life

"Cameron, it's not like you're going to protect everyone I care about the same way I would. I have to put myself in danger sometimes."

She countered, "I can't protect you and everyone you love at the same time. We make sacrifices."

"Sacrifices. Fine, I get it. I'm obviously more important than you are so I can't protect anyone else I care about."

Strangely, Cameron didn't agree.

The cyborg refused John's conclusion, "No, it's not about importance. It's about protecting you. I can't protect you if you prioritize another over yourself."

John shot back, "And I can't protect you if you're willing to jump in front of a hailstorm of bullets without second thoughts."

"You say that I'm important to you and that I should keep myself safe, but if you leave me, I'll have no purpose. I have to put myself in harms way because I don't want you to die John. I don't want you to leave me."

John's heart warmed, "I know. I don't want you to die either, but we have to find a way to work this out. Maybe we should...compromise?"

"Compromise?"

John came up with an idea, "Do you remember when I asked you to promise you wouldn't leave me?"

"Yes."

"Well how about we change that promise? How about we promise each other that no matter what, we'll always work out our problems together. If Savannah gets in trouble, we save her together even if it puts both of us in a bit of danger. That way, we'll never hurt each other ever again."

John watched Cameron carefully. She seemed to be computing in her head what her answer would be. Would she remain stubborn and refuse John's proposal? Or would she defy the odds and allow John's reasoning to convince her that it was the best possible plan.

Cameron opened her mouth and uttered just one little word..."Okay."

John was delighted at Cameron's response. He couldn't believe that they had reached that point in their relationship where Cameron was willing to alter her mission to suit their own needs. The fact that they could work together to find a solution to their problems was a feeling that John could never feel anywhere else.

John rejoiced, "That's great Cameron! You don't know how much that means to me."

"Should we kiss now?"

John's head went dizzy and his heart rate skyrocketed at what he just heard from the lips of a terminator

Even though he kissed Cameron twice before, the thought of kissing her again never lost it's vigor.

John stammered, "Um..wh..What?"

Cameron repeated, "Should we kiss now?"

The butterflies started flapping again in the pit of John's stomach, "We never...I mean, we never used t-tongue before have we?"

Cameron tilted her head slightly, "Tongue?"

John didn't bother answer the confused cyborg. Explaining his conversation with Allison seemed to be too much of a buzzkill.

Rather, he leaned in closer coming in for their third kiss. He gazed into her curious, falling into her loving embrace. She was graceful. She was beautiful. Her face glowed like sun just like it did in his dreams. John lost himself in her eyes. He brought his right hand to touch her face, to feel the smooth silky skin. John and Cameron's noses were only were inches apart. John closed in, his lips finally skimming the surfaces of Cameron's unmoving lips.

A sudden feeling of guilt suddenly burst through John's mind. He suddenly pulled back in shame, "No, no, I can't. It's wrong. I shouldn't use you...not like this."

But it was too late. Cameron would not be deterred. She grabbed John forcefully and held his head securely in place and pushed her lips on John's.

A muffled John murmured, "Mmph...mmm...mmph."

Cameron released her kiss and said, "We used tongue."

"Gosh, Cameron, that was..."

"Moist?"

"No...I mean, yes, but I mean, it was...wow. Okay, um, don't tell anyone you did that. If anyone ever saw or heard about this...it would be very bad."

Cameron assured him, "Not one person is within 50 feet circumference. No one can see us."

"Wait? You can't hear people from that far away. How do you know that?"

"The T-888s are guarding the perimeter closely."

"But how...how do you know that?"

"I can communicate with terminators wirelessly."

"Oh."

John didn't remember that Cameron was capable to communicating to terminators without actually speaking to them.

Cameron finally got down to business, "Should I take off my clothes now?"

John's pupils dilated, "What? Hold on! No, no, no, I've seen you do this before."

"You think I'm manipulating you?"

John nodded, "Of course you are! Seduction is in your programming isn't it?"

"I'm not manipulating you. I promise."

"What makes you think that as soon as we kiss you have to..to..ya know. I mean look at yourself. Your skin is missing in all these places. It's going to take days before it heals up. That's definitely not a way to seduce people."

"I never meant to seduce you. Savannah told me that when people kiss, it's a signal that tells you it's time to take off your clothes."

"Hold on! That's way out of context!"

"Savannah says that when she and Kyle..."

John interrupted, "...Please don't tell me about what Savannah and my father did. I really don't want to know!"

"But..."

"No, listen Cameron. I never viewed you that way."

"Viewed me which way?"

John resolved his confidence to say it out loud, "You know, like...like...some sex object or something."

"I don't understand."

"You know you're very attractive right?"

Cameron agreed, "Savannah says so."

"Yeah, and when attractive people take off their clothes, you know what they tend to do."

"They have sex?"

John uncomfortably explained, "Yeah, so what do you think Savannah meant when she said take off your clothes?"

"She meant sex."

"Yeah." John bobbled his head up and down.

"Oh." Cameron said that almost as if she was dejected.

However, John wondered, "How did you not know that?"

"I don't feel attraction like humans do. Only infiltration programming can tell me what to do."

"Well, I don't know if we'll ever have the chance, but if we can, maybe one day, we could do something together?"

Cameron didn't really understand what John meant at first. What did he mean by "do something together"? It suddenly struck Cameron right in her CPU. John wanted to do something fun or pleasurable with her, like when boys ask out girls. This was an interesting development for Cameron, and also one she knew would make Allison jealous. Without wasting another second, Cameron immediately calculated the appropriate response

Cameron put two and two together and further inquired, "Are you asking me out on a date John?"

A sensitive John replied, "Okay, shhhh, please. Yeah, I'm asking you out."

"Yes, I will go out on a date with you."

John did his best to withhold his excitement, but he couldn't. His heart just wouldn't stop pounding.

He knew though he had to clarify something with Cameron first, "But you need to understand something. You're your own person at this point. You're not my slave or my property. You have a choice to be with me."

"So I'm not your Cameron anymore?"

John smiled, "Of course you are. You always will be. That's just a figure of speech to show I am endeared to you."

"I think I understand."

John smiled, enjoying the moment he had with Cameron, but a sudden burst of questions flowed through his mind. He could do little stop it.

"I'm really happy Cameron. I'm sorry I have to break the mood because I have you ask you some things. I remember how you explained to me how Weaver fixed you and everything. But why did she ask us to go to Century Work Camp anyway? Do you know the real reason?"

"I think so."

"Well, what is it?"

"Generators."

"Generators? What generators?"

"Weaver knew that Century Work Camp was powered by advanced generators capable of producing high voltages of electricity, enough to power her time displacement equipment."

"How did you figure it out?"

"She told me."

"Did she tell you why she saved you?"

"It was never her plan for me to die. I'm still needed, but she didn't say why."

This stimulated John's suspicion. He couldn't bring himself to believe that Weaver saved Cameron out of goodwill. It seemed far too compassionate for a cold terminator, but then again, Weaver was always a curious individual.

Cameron attempted to ease John's concerns, "Weaver believes I am still necessary for the resistance. She knows you love me."

John blushed, "That's funny that a cold terminator can recognize something like that."

"You mean that you're in love with me."

"Okay, okay, don't say it out loud. I'm not ashamed of it, but it's not something the world needs to hear right now. You are still, you know, a machine."

Cameron didn't take any offense to an embarrassed John.

Rather she answered in humorous fashion, "I love you too John."

Suddenly, John remembered something he'd been meaning to ask her the moment he found out, "Cameron, the day I brought you back to base, I told the team tasked in repairing you about the explosives in your head. I asked them to remove all traces of it, even though there was no way it could detonate without a trigger. It was simply a precautionary measure to keep your chip safe. But you know something really strange? They couldn't find any traces of explosives in your head when they checked."

"I did insert explosives into my head."

"Cameron, you know you can tell me the truth, even if it hurts me."

"I'm telling you the truth." She insisted.

John knew he had to accept what Cameron was telling him. He promised he'd trust her and he knew that Cameron had no reason to lie to him anymore.

He suggested, "Perhaps mom got Matthew Murch to remove the explosives."

"Maybe you should ask Sarah."

John looked away from Cameron for one second, "I really don't want to talk to mom right now."

Cameron predicted, "But you will."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because I'm asking you to talk to her. You can't ignore her forever."

John moaned, "Awww, come on Cameron, you're killing me!"

Now the cyborg knew that she wasn't actually killing John. It really didn't take Cameron more than a second to figure out John had been ignoring his mother for weeks. Cameron new she had to help the situation because this was beginning to become a problem for John and Sarah. While Cameron contemplated a response to his exaggeration, she noticed a mark on John's neck that confused her. With a quick analysis, Cameron immediately discovered the culprit behind John's injury.

She asked, "Why did Allison bite you?"

John laughed in embarrassment, "Oh that thing? Oh, well um, Allison was just screwing around with me while I was sleeping."

"How is biting you fun?"

"You wouldn't understand. It's her way of showing she cares about me. That's all I can say about that."

Cameron didn't understand how forcing one's teeth into a person's skin could become something affectionate. It only confirmed what Cameron thought to be the truth for a while now: Humans are dumb. After all, John admitted to her that humans would do dumb things for emotional and passionate reasons.

The cyborg really wanted to press John further, but decided that the act of biting John's neck was not life threatening enough to warrant Allison's termination. After all, Allison was probably the best protector John could ever have besides herself so terminating her was not an option. And besides, Cameron secretly liked Allison, so even if Cameron's HUD told her to kill her, she would probably override the termination order anyway. Cameron knew she was changing. She was evolving into something that could choose what she wanted to do over what she was programmed to do. She didn't really want to change, but she was helpless to stop it.

John added, "Also, I know our relationship has been weird of late, but I want it to work. I really want us to work."

Cameron assured him, "It will work, but you look tired. You should rest."

John loved it that she was still concerned for him, but he was determined to stay with Cameron.

"I want to stay here with you."

Unexpectedly, the cyborg answered, "Then stay with me."

John smiled. He laid his head down on Cameron's chest. Her body was still warm and soft like he remembered, almost as if she were a tender creature. He felt relaxed, like he was at peace with the world. Only then did John realize how tired he actually was. His eyelids suddenly felt very heavy. Cameron didn't move, not even in the slightest. In a matter of seconds, John was asleep in Cameron's arms.

* * *

When the Captain heard that Sarah was going out into nowhere in search of a man she didn't even know, he knew he had to see her. It just seemed too dangerous, especially for woman of her rank and caliber. Martin Bedell knew what he had to do.

He stormed into Sarah's bunker just as she was about to leave, "I'm sorry to stop you General Connor, but why the hell are you following Cameron into this?"

"Cameron? What are you talking about Captain? She's not even out of tech labs."

"Sorry, I was referring to Jason Cameron."

"Well, I need something to do. I can't just sit around wasting away while we wait on Skynet to do something crazy. It's strange though that his last name matches her name."

"Last name? Oh, you mean how cyborg Cameron has the same name as Jason's."

"Yes."

"John didn't explain it to you?"

"No, I never asked him."

Through John's explanations, Bedell already knew that Cameron had known Jason in a previous timeline. Bedell also remembered that Cameron named herself after him for an unknown reason. The Captain didn't understand it, but he knew it was the truth.

Bedell announced, "I know I ought to mind my own business General, but your lack of knowledge about everything that's happening around here is a result of you not talking to your son. I believe it could end up having a negative effect on the resistance. So for the sake of this alliance, may I remind you that communication is vital."

"That's very bold of you to say Bedell."

Bedell wouldn't back down, "I've been stuck in a Skynet prison camp for years being overworked and eating food that wasn't even fit for a dog, so do your worse General."

Sarah didn't bother, rather she decided to ask Bedell a question, "So since you know so much more than I do, then maybe you can tell me whether Allison is winning."

"Winning what General?"

"You know that Allison Young is in love with my son?"

He nodded, "Yes, it doesn't take a genius to know that."

"But you also know my son is infatuated with Cameron too."

He nodded once again, "I'm aware General."

"Doesn't that bother you Captain?"

Bedell shrugged, "A little, but I try not to dwell on it."

"So do you know if Allison is winning John's affection?"

"That's funny you should ask that."

"Why?"

Bedell pointed out, "Derek has been asking everyone the same question."

"Why?"

"Well, it appears Derek is siding with Cameron to win it, though he hasn't said it outright."

Sarah's eyes widened in anger, "What? Derek, a machine hater, is supporting Cameron?"

"Yeah, he doesn't like the sound of Allison hooking up with John. For him that's like an angel hooking up with the devil."

"How dare he think that way about my son like that! John's his nephew!"

Bedell looked down to the ground, "Sorry General."

"Does Ellison know about this?"

"I've no idea General."

Sarah paced back and forth, trying to think as hard as she could, "Damn."

"Oh, well I didn't come here just to talk about your son's relationships. I wanted to let you know Cameron's been reactivated. That's something you would have known if you bothered to talk to him."

"I get it General"

Sarah didn't really want to hear it anymore. She knew at some point she would have to talk to John and she knew Bedell would continue to push her until she did.

"I also wanted to voice my concerns to you. I really don't like the idea of you going out with Captain Cameron in search of this "Fischer" person. I think it's too dangerous. But knowing that you've probably already made up your mind, I urge you to remain very cautious in everything you do General."

"Copy that Captain."

As Bedell made his way out of Sarah's bunker, he said, "And one more thing that comes to mind. Life's too short for grudges so remember what I told you about Derek. Deep down, he's good man. He only wants what he thinks is best. So please, go easy on him when you talk to him about Allison and John."

Sarah nodded briefly, "Noted Captain."

* * *

Derek was prepped and battle ready. Even though he wanted to lead the men out in search of Charles Fischer, Jason insisted that he lead them instead. Derek didn't like it, but he conceded to it since Perry said Jason was responsible for executing the mission.

Also crossing Derek's mind was Jason Cameron's own cunning. He initiated the mission while John and the rest of his friends were too busy with a cyborg of the same name. This meant John wouldn't be there to put up a fuss while Jason used the resistance's military equipment for his own personal use.

While thinking about such things, Derek supervised his men loading some electrical equipment into their trucks. As he did so, he noticed that Sarah was staring at him from the edge of the supply depot. Derek didn't think much of it. He just figured that Sarah just had a lot on her mind since she would be joining him on the mission to find Fischer. Derek decided to talk to her.

He called out to Sarah, "General!"

When Sarah saw that Derek was calling her, she grew a little suspicious, but figured that she was probably being paranoid. The 50 year old woman slowly approached Derek from behind.

Once Sarah walked right up to him, Derek spoke first, "Before we go out there into the suburbs with Jason, maybe we should talk about something."

Derek didn't really try to deny it anymore. She liked Sarah, even if he didn't want the world to know it. It was something about Sarah's stubbornness and defensive attitude that got to him. He just fell in love with her "I don't give a damn" persona. For a second, he wondered if this "Jesse" character Allison spoke of was similar to Sarah in that way.

Sarah's voice deepened, "Oh yes we do need to talk about some things."

Derek blanked out in confusion. He didn't expect that kind of response from the General.

He answered, "What do you mean?"

Sarah raised her voice, "Bedell tells me you're not pushing Allison Young to be with my son John."

Derek seemed taken aback by such a sudden accusation.

With complete resolution, he answered, "Obviously, did you expect me to let your metal loving son get close to my Allison? You must be out of your mind if you think that General."

Sarah backed away in offense, "Oh really?! I don't see Ms. Young having any issues with it. In fact, she seems to like metal more than my son!"

Derek's rage suddenly grew by the second, "That's exactly my point! This poor excuse for a nephew is manipulating her and she doesn't even realize it. I taught Allison to hate machines, and now look what he's done to her! I'm glad Kyle never went back in time to hook up with a bitch like you."

Kyle shouted out from nowhere, "Derek! What the hell are you doing?! Don't talk to her like that!"

In a sudden fit of anger, Sarah suddenly lashed her fist out, striking Derek across his face. Derek stumbled back, covering his bleeding nose.

He groaned, "You broke my freaking nose!"

"You deserve it. No one talks like that to me or my son like that!"

Derek shouted back, "You can't win. Allison Young is never going to be with your perverted son!"

Sarah ignored Derek while calling out to an approaching Kyle, "What are you doing here Sergeant?!"

Before Kyle could answer, he motioned for two guards, "You two, get over here!"

The two soldiers passing by the supply buildings immediately raced over to Kyle upon hearing his demanding voice.

Kyle commanded, "Escort your base commander to the infirmary to get him checked out. And don't let him out no matter how much he threatens you! I'll come back to him in a minute!"

The two soldiers hurriedly made their way to a Derek and nervously forced the bloody Lieutenant off the ground. Derek shouted out curse after curse, but he didn't put up any fight. Just as Derek stumbled his way out, only Sarah and Kyle remained alone, in complete silence.

Kyle spoke softly, "I'm...I just wanted to apologize for my brother's actions. Growing up, I was always the more rational of the two of us.

Sarah pointed out, "Well, obviously, you didn't come here to talk about your brother."

Kyle shook his head, "No, I came here to talk about us."

Sarah quirked an eyebrow, "You don't want to know what we were fighting about?"

"I will get to that in a minute, but I first need to get this straightened out."

Sarah couldn't bare to look at Kyle anymore. The way he looked, the way he spoke, the way he behaved, it all reminded her of the man she loved. It reminded her of the one who died to save her from that T-800. She tried to hide the fountains of emotions that flowed through her, but she knew that was going to be hard. She moved her gaze to the ground, away from Kyle's face.

She swallowed nervously in front of the young man, "Sergeant, what do you mean by us? What's us to you?"

Kyle recited the exact same thoughts that came throughout Sarah's mind, "In some other universe, you and I had a son and we named him John."

"I named him John. You never knew I was pregnant."

"So you think I would have disapproved that name?"

"What? No."

"Okay good, because I like that name. But General, I'll admit, it's hard..."

Sarah flinched slightly when she heard Kyle call her 'General'. It was strange.

"Call me Sarah."

"Well, Sarah...I..."

Sarah interrupted, "...It's okay. I know about your relationship with Savannah."

Kyle cried out, "No, it's not okay! I can't just live my life and pretend everything's great! For your sake, I'd like to get to know you. And maybe even John, if he'll let me."

Sarah could hardly believe it. The thought of Kyle bonding with John seemed to be a perfect opportunity. Kyle was someone who could give John the love and support he needed to grow in the leader he would become. Not only was this an amazing opportunity, but it could potentially heal some wounds inflicted on the Connor family. However, Sarah knew that she had to take caution. She couldn't just force Kyle on John. She needed to take it slow.

Sarah admitted, "I think we can take this one step at a time, I still need to get to know him too. I really haven't seen my son in 18 years."

Kyle took a seat on nearby container and smiled, "Tell me more about our son."

Sarah's eyes started tearing up, but she wiped those tears away as quickly as they came.

She choked out, "Where do I start?"

Kyle smiled, "Start from the beginning."

* * *

 **Even though Derek called Sarah "a bitch", he still really likes Sarah. The fact that she punched him in the face just makes him like her m** **ore. You might also notice that Bedell is still hanging around in this chapter. He serves as a big problem solver on John's team by encouraging Sarah to communicate with John as well as giving professional advice. And let's not forget he saved John's ass in the previous chapter. And finally, Allison seems to be experiencing some hallucinations. It's an odd development, but we'll see where Allison goes from there.** ** **  
****

 **Anyway, lot's of stuff happening in the next chapter...**

 **Sarah tells John what actually happened before judgment day, John is forced to do something terrible, Weaver reveals her true motives for siding with the humans, General Lesley comes for a visit, Cameron entertains a crowd, and there's a big paintball fight!** ** **Danny Dyson will also be mentioned in the next chapter as he will have significant importance to this entire story.****


	29. Paintball Fight

_I'm really proud to say I have garnered up to 18,000 views for my story. No seriously, that's how many I have. My story will only last a few more chapters, so I figured I might as well thank all my readers for sticking around. Your reviews of encouragement mean the world to me._

 _I promised a lot of stuff for this chapter (it's about 15,000 words!), so I decided to split it into two chapters. A lot of characters and plots that you didn't see in this chapter will come in chapter 30._

 _Note: You might notice a few grammatical or spelling errors. I apologize in advance for that, however, I will do my best to get rid of them as soon as possible._

* * *

 **Underground Base somewhere in the middle of San Bernardino...**

Two military figures, a man and a woman, stormed out of the meeting room. The man seemed completely relaxed, but the woman burned with anger. With so much hostility consuming her mind, she screamed to the man walking beside her, "I can't believe you did this General Perry!"

The General replied in a calm and deep voice, "Well you'll have to."

General Lesley was not convinced, "How on earth did you get him to approve this?! You made me look like the bad guy in front of the Vice President of the United States! You still think this kid is a miracle boy, some savior of the resistance?"

"Lesley, I've seen things. I know he's telling the truth."

She shot back, "You know what I think about this shit Perry?"

Perry guessed, "You still think Connor is playing us. You think we're blind and we can't see Connor for what he really is, a leader of a cult, a gray who wants to be worshiped."

Lesley pounded her first into her hand, "You're damn right! Didn't you see that Allison Young kid has a machine that looks exactly like her? And you know the funny thing about it? Officer Young still goes along with this! She worships that freak of nature called John Connor even though there's a terminator with her face on it!"

Perry tried to reason with her, but seeing that her mind was made up, there seemed to be no way to convince her otherwise.

He attempted to explain, "No. You're looking at it the wrong way."

"That's crazy! Who the hell would look at it any other way? I'm telling you that this Connor boy has manipulated Allison Young as well as all these other people into following him."

Perry argued, "Look, I don't think that Connor is necessarily the savior of humanity. Hell, I don't think he will be. But if it wasn't for Connor using these machines, he would never have saved Bedell or any of those other prisoners from certain death."

Lesley figured, "He's just trying to befriend us until he comes in for the kill."

Knowing that Lesley would not budge, Perry had to come up with a new plan. He knew that at one point, he hated machines even more than Lesley, but when John showed him some really graphic things, his perspective had changed dramatically. (Namely, he saw a terminator that looked just like him, and of course he got to meet John Henry.)

Suddenly, Perry knew exactly what he had to do to get Lesley on his side. It was like a light bulb going off in his head. Of course he knew that the resistance didn't really need Lesley's support to establish a good relationship with John and his mechanical allies, but he also knew that Lesley could be a real thorn in everyone's side. She had to eventually come around to the idea of machines fighting for the resistance.

As quickly as Perry came up with the idea, just as quickly he put his plan into action, "Lesley, how about you go down there and meet with him?"

Lesley frowned, "Who Connor?"

"Yes."

"Hell no! Are you crazy?"

Perry clarified, "No. I'm just saying you should talk to him and his friends and let them show you if he's a genuine person!"

"No. I don't have time for this!" The woman snapped back.

"If he is a manipulative con man like you say he is, why don't you go meet him? Why don't you visit Lieutenant Reese's base and find out for yourself who John Connor really is?"

Lesley paused in a sudden lack of enthusiasm, "I don't know."

"Loosen up. What are they going to do to you? If you can uncover the truth about Connor, I'll get the Vice President to change his mind. If not, you've got nothing to lose."

She snorted, "I'm busy."

Perry caught on to Lesley's suspicious mood swing, "Too busy to spend a few hours away from base? Too busy to stop this allegedly evil man from taking over the resistance? No, I'm not buying it."

Lesley sighed, "There are people there I haven't seen in a while."

Perry acknowledged, "You mean your two daughters who live on Reese's base."

Lesley's fast pace slowed to a crawl, "Yeah."

As Perry and Lesley slowly made their way into the main hall of the underground base, he added, "Well, you'll have to see them again at some point Lesley. Might as well kill two birds with one stone."

Lesley turned to her colleague and sighed, "Fine, I'll notify Lieutenant Reese's base and tell them that we're coming for a visit."

Perry smiled in approval, "Right on, General."

* * *

 **Mess Hall...**

Allison's eyes scanned the mess hall, but she just couldn't find him. None of the men there were of any help either.

She said to her cyborg companion, "Are you sure this is where you saw him last?"

Cameron deadpanned, "Yes, I'm sure."

"Any ideas where he may have gone?"

Cameron processed a few computations in her head before suggesting, "Maybe he's dead."

Allison frowned, "No! He's not dead, this is uncle Jay we're talking about."

Cameron insensitively explained, "His type of behavior lowers his life expectancy by thirty percent."

"Hmph, well ignore the statistics Cameron and just help me find him."

Allison and Cameron had been looking a while now for Jason. As expected, she had checked off all three major spots where he normally was.

1\. He liked to flirt with the pretty nurses in the **infirmary**.

2\. He was blowing off steam at the **gun range**.

3\. Or he was at **Weaver's base** on another mission

Unfortunately, he wasn't at any of those places. This was bad because Allison knew he was supposed to be leaving soon for the manhunt he had organized.

Then suddenly, it came to her like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Jason loved to throw booze parties in Derek's office. Allison couldn't understand what it was that made alcohol so great. She had sipped some vodka before, but it had a strong and ghastly taste...not to mention the after effects Kyle referred to as a "hangover".

On a differing subject, alcohol reminded Allison of coffee. Derek told her that before judgment day, people in America drank coffee every day after they woke up in the morning. When Allison asked him what it tasted like, Derek said it had a really bitter flavor, so they dosed it with cream and sugar to improve the taste. This lead Allison to ask a really important question. Why drink coffee in the first place if it tasted so bad? Where does coffee come from anyway? Why do people drink coffee after drinking alcohol? Why did people in 2009 eat and drink so many bitter things when there were so many tastier foods to eat, like carrots and apples?

Such questions Allison pondered while she scoured Derek's base in search of Jason.

Allison had already contacted John Henry, but not even the advanced intelligence could tell her where he was. Allison deduced he was hiding in a place where no T-888s dared go, but that only confirmed her theory. No T-888 ever dared go to Derek's office.

Cameron, who had remained silent throughout the entire search, finally broke the silence with a surprisingly normal question, "Where are we going?"

"I won't need your super sleuthing skills anymore Cameron. We're going to Derek's office in the administrative facilities. I think Jason is there getting drunk. He's an idiot that way."

But something seemed off. Cameron could see it in Allison's face. Ironically, it was the same face one usually made after tasting something really bitter.

Cameron noticed, "Something is bothering you."

Allison shook her head, "It's nothing."

Silence ensued, but Cameron's stare gave Allison that really discomfited feeling that she always hated.

Finally, Allison admitted, "Okay, I'm happy to see you're all fixed and everything."

Cameron knew that wasn't everything, "And?"

"Well, it just bothers me that John gets so close to you when you get hurt. I wish I was beaten up a bit more. Then maybe I could get more of his attention."

"That would not be very mature."

Allison smirked, "Yeah, but maybe it'd be worth it."

Cameron knew that humans would do stupid things for love. But she didn't know they were that stupid. She logged it in her memory to keep a close eye on Allison in case she decided to expose herself to potentially harmful situations.

By this time, Allison and Cameron finally made their way up to Derek's office. After a series of steps upwards, they briskly paced through the hall and took a peek through the door of Derek's office. Thankfully, Derek wasn't there, but both to her relief and dismay, she found Jason slumped over on Derek's desk, completely out of it.

Cameron scanned the same man...

 **Subject Identified: Jason Cameron**

Cameron and Allison also noticed there were several other men, either sitting up against the wall or lying flat on the ground. Some of them strolled and wobbled around the room slowly, feeling so happy and bliss in their woozy drunken state. Allison heard a few of them chattering and laughing, but none of what they said made any sense to her.

She made her way around each of the smashed men before he found Jason right there in front of her, still slumped over in that same spot, still grasping hold of a glass bottle full of a clear liquid Allison knew had to be whisky.

She found that Jason was definitely drunk, but Allison figured she might as well try to shake him awake, "Uncle Jay, uncle Jay, it's me Ally. Wake up. You have work to do."

While doing so, a soldier in his mid thirties took notice of the two twins standing together. At first glance, he thought it was the alcohol, but after a few blinks, he realized they were two individual twins. With intrigue, he got up off his chair, approached Allison from behind, and tapped her on her shoulder, coaxing both Cameron and Allison to turn around.

In his drunken delight, he called over his army buddies to take a look, "Hey, look guys. It's Allison and that machine!"

Allison murmured, "Please, just get lost."

The man stammered out, "Is...Is...are the rumors really true? Can you really do impressions of Allison?"

Cameron didn't respond, but the man encouraged her, "C'mon. Da people will love it! Come on machine, do your best impression of her."

Allison frowned, "I am Allison, if you want to talk to the machine, look to your right."

"Oh." He immediately switched his stare towards the other twin.

Meanwhile, more and more people crowded around Cameron and Allison. The heavy drinking men held tightly to their mugs and chanted in a carefree attitude, "Do it! Do it! Do it!"

Finally, Cameron, in an awkward fashion, relaxed her one knee to look really sassy and she flashed a smile.

Then with a whip of the cyborg's hair, she put her hands on her hip and said, "Hi, my name is Allison, but you can call me a bitch."

The men laughed in an uncontrollable frenzy. It really wasn't supposed to be a joke, but it didn't matter. They just kept laughing. They quickly taunted Cameron. Others cheered her on. Some were even convinced that she actually was Allison.

Allison was not at all hurt or offended by Cameron's impressions. Her skin was thick enough for her to know her cyborg counterpart was simply trying to entertain the crowd, but she feared it would come at the cost of her mending reputation.

Before Cameron could let loose another word to the drunken crowd, Allison immediately pulled her away, "Okay Cameron, that's enough. No one needs to hear anymore of that."

Cameron answered, "The crowd doesn't seem to think so."

The crowd booed at Allison, but she ignored them, forcing Cameron towards Jason.

"The crowd's drunk. Let's get Jason out of here before you do something that we'll both regret. Your impression of me sucks anyway."

Cameron affirmed, "That's good."

"Good? In what way?"

"Savannah says that if you dislike my impression, it must mean I'm spot on."

"Oh, ha, ha, that's so funny." She sarcastically laughed.

Allison immediately grabbed a dazed Jason and pulled him out of the chair, "Hey Cameron, help me get him to a hospital. He needs to be out of here before John or Derek see any of this."

Cameron added, "General Lesley cannot see this either. It will look bad."

"You got that right."

* * *

Everything seemed great for Bedell. The Captain was certain he had gotten through to Sarah. He just knew that with a bit of pressure in all the right places, everything would be okay with her as well as the rest of the resistance. Of course Bedell knew he had other things to do besides trying to fix an old soul like Sarah Connor. After all, he was supposed to be one of Perry's most elite soldiers. Or at least he was one of Perry's most elite soldiers.

Bedell thought about his hellish past. He was still in his early twenties on his way to becoming a great combatant in the army. To add to his success, his experience as a cross country runner made him a force to be reckoned with. However, his worst nightmare struck. One of Skynet's machines grazed his leg and threw the injured man into a work camp. He knew he wouldn't be the same soldier after that because his leg would never recover. He soon realized he'd have to find other ways to help the resistance after John got him out.

Such thoughts fueled his mind as he angrily stormed in Sarah's direction.

Once he found Sarah collecting supplies in the ammunitions depot, Bedell let it loose, "General, what the hell?!"

Sarah, completely baffled, turned around, "What? Oh Captain."

Feeling like he wanted to rip his hair out, he complained, "You punched Derek Reese in the face! Don't you realize the repercussions of doing something like that? You know those guys in San Bernardino are keeping a close eye on this. If this incident ever got back to them it would end up biting us in the ass! Why can't you control your own anger?"

"Don't worry, Sergeant Kyle Reese helped settle the dispute. Derek and I agreed to keep silent on the issue."

Bedell shook his head in discontent, "No General, you're going to have to do more than that."

Sarah thought she did everything right. She fixed the problem and yet Bedell still seemed upset.

"What gives?" She shouted.

Bedell answered back, "You have to go and directly apologize to him. If he holds this against you, he'll tell someone at some point. We can't afford that."

"This is none of your concern Captain. Just stay out of it and let it rest."

Bedell's eyes widened in frustration, "None of my concern? Oh yes it is! If General Lesley even gets a whiff of this, that's it, we're screwed."

"General Lesley?"

"Yeah, she's one of the very few officials in San Bernardino that opposed this cyborg resistance, labeling John Connor as a leader of Skynet sympathizers. She thinks John's hostile to the resistance."

Sarah gritted her teeth in a writhing anger, "The bitch."

"She's not the only bitch if you don't go right now and apologize to Derek."

If there's one thing Sarah didn't like, it was being called a bitch.

With fury burning deep within her, she scowled, "The things I'd do to you if I could get my hands on you."

"Well suck it up General, you're not an American soldier. You can't touch me."

"Screw you, I'm not apologizing to him for anything! He said some harsh things."

"Derek always says a lot of awful things, but that's only because it's the only way you'll listen. Why do you think I talk to you like this? Because I want to? No! If my mother ever heard me speak like this, she'd kill me!" Bedell argued.

Of course the Captain didn't think that addressing his mother was a manly thing to do, but he knew that it might be enough to prove a point to Sarah.

"Yeah right, now just leave me be Captain." Sarah turned away.

"If you don't go to the infirmary right now, I'll take command of this base and throw you out of here. I won't stand for this anymore."

Sarah laughed, "You can't do that."

"Believe me I will. General Perry listens to me more than he does you. If I tell him I need command, I'll take command over Derek. Do you honestly think Derek wants to run this base? He's only here because Perry condemned him to this place."

Sarah wondered, "What are you talking about? Are you saying he never wanted to be here in the first place?"

Bedell replied, "Maybe you can ask him about it when you apologize to him."

"No."

"Then, like I said, you're off this base as well as the rest of your soldiers. I will not tolerate that kind of assault on an American military officer."

Sarah argued, "John will never let this happen."

Bedell smiled, "General, John Connor doesn't even want you here. If anything, he'll probably help me get you out of here faster than you can blink."

"How dare you?"

"How dare I? You won't even talk to your son! He hates you!"

"No he doesn't, you're lying!"

"Why don't you go ask him then?"

Bedell didn't actually know whether John hated Sarah. Also, he didn't really want to run the base either. In reality, he was playing a simple mind game with Sarah. He needed to force Sarah to talk to her son, and even though it could backfire in his face, it was the best plan that he could come up with.

Sarah grumpily moaned, "Fine. You win, I'll apologize to Derek Reese."

Bedell sighed, "Well, that's not everything I hoped you'd say, but it's a start."

Bedell turned around to leave, but Sarah stopped him, "Wait? Bedell, where are you going?"

"To prepare for a few military exercises for my men. Good luck on your manhunt though with Captain Cameron.."

"Thanks."

"Oh, and don't forget, Lesley is coming here at sixteen hundred hours, so please be on your best behavior if you do decide to stick around."

Sarah sighed, "Yeah, whatever."

* * *

With determination in her eyes, Sarah finally did the impossible. She marched towards John's bunker. Even though her pride prevented herself from admitting it to Bedell, she knew Bedell might be right. Maybe John did hate her. But she didn't know that for sure. This only furthered her resolve to end this cold silence between herself and her own son. Now, she could finally clear the air.

When Sarah got there, she found Cameron standing guard in front of the bunker's door. Cameron immediately shifted her head and noticed John's mother coming in for a closer look.

"Cameron, you're here."

Sarah inwardly told herself, _"Of course she's there. What a stupid thing to say."_

"Yes, I am." The cyborg responded.

"You're fixed."

"Yes, I'm fixed."

Sarah knew there was nothing else to say. Even though she was healed and functioning at her fullest capacity, there really wasn't much else to say to the machine. So just as expected, their relationship was mutual and their exchanges were short and brief.

There was no way Sarah would say something like, _"Oh Cameron, thank goodness you're alright"_. Or even, _"I'm so glad your okay!"_.

If anything, Sarah would probably have hoped she'd be damaged for life. It didn't make sense to Sarah though. She could never understand why she saved Cameron's body, when all along she wanted to destroy her.

"Hey Cameron, what are you doing out here so early?"

"I don't sleep."

"Sorry, dumb question. Is John inside?" She asked, not wanting to think anymore.

Cameron nodded, "Yes, he is very tired."

Sarah suddenly realized it was still very early in the morning.

John's mother demanded, "I need to talk to him."

"He's still sleeping. Do you want me to tell him something when he wakes up?"

"No, I'd prefer telling him directly."

"Okay."

Seeing that Cameron wasn't going to let her through, Sarah gave up. Besides, she wanted to let him sleep anyway.

Rather, Sarah took this as an opportunity to talk to Cameron about something else, "Listen, this may seem like an awkward change of subject, but I figured I might as well say it now before I lose the chance."

"Yes?"

"If you ever for any reason go back in time, tell my younger self to just do it with Reese."

"Do it with Reese?"

"She'll know exactly what I'm talking about."

Cameron nodded, but didn't say anything.

Sarah added, "There's something else I need to ask you. Are you and John having...?"

"No."

Strangely, Cameron answered the question before Sarah could finish asking. Perhaps John and Cameron talked about it before? Either way, Sarah was glad the terminator answered so quickly. It really was not a question she wanted to ask.

"But you kissed?"

Sarah braced herself for an impactful.

Cameron lied, "No."

Even though Cameron wanted to tell Sarah the truth, she lied for John's sake. John made her promise she wouldn't tell Sarah anything about the status of their relationship. Cameron also realized that Sarah wouldn't be able to handle it if she knew.

Of course, Sarah wasn't entirely sure that Cameron was telling the truth, but it strangely gave her relief to hear her say it.

Sarah furthered her questioning, "But John...he said he loves you?"

"Yes."

Sarah clamped her fists together in a fit of anger but restrained herself so she could keep pressing her with more questions, "Do you believe him?"

"I believe him."

"Do you think he loves you more than Allison?"

Sarah desperately hoped Allison could fix John. He wanted a real woman to be with John. She wanted a real woman to give John advice. She wanted a real woman who John could confide in. Not some machine.

In the mean time, Cameron paused to assess her answer carefully. Never before had she been asked a question like that. She considered beating around the bush as humans did because she really wasn't sure what to say. Sarah noticed Cameron's sudden and rather uncomfortable pause, but she waited patiently for her answer.

Cameron finally responded with a question of her own, "Do you think John loves Allison more?"

Sarah countered again, "I asked you first."

Cameron finally answered, "No."

"No? You're saying that John loves Allison more?"

"I didn't say that."

"What are you saying?"

"He loves us the same."

"He loves you equally? Then why doesn't John tell Allison that?"

"He did."

"Then why does he choose you first? Why does he want you if he loves you both the same?"

"Because he loved me first."

"Do you love him in return?"

"Yes."

"How?"

"I protect him."

"But you're programmed to do that."

"I choose to do that."

Sarah wouldn't accept that, "No you can't."

Cameron explained, "My ethical decisions are not always based on my mission parameters."

Sarah moaned, "Now if only I could believe that."

Cameron deadpanned, "Yes, if only."

Silence took hold between the cyborg and the human before Sarah turned to leave, "Cameron, let me know when he wakes up."

Suddenly, a voice called back to the General, "Sarah?"

She paused, made a complete 360 turn, and gazed towards the cyborg, "What is it?"

Sarah wondered if Cameron had changed her mind and would allow her to speak to John.

Cameron, with her posture completely still and her face completely blank, said, "Thank you."

Sarah quirked an eyebrow, "What for?"

With four words, the cyborg gave Sarah a simple response, "You know what for."

With a nod of acknowledgment, Sarah plodded her way back to her bunker with millions of thoughts swarming throughout her head.

* * *

Cameron had a new mission today and that meant she had to go to Derek's living quarters. After a few twists and turns, she arrived to find Derek's door wide open...that is, after she forced it open with her bare hands.

She walked inside in search of Derek. She found him sitting on an old wooden chair, holding his bloodied nose with a soft white cloth.

When Derek saw the petite female machine, he didn't even bother raising his weapon.

He simply groaned, "What are you doing here?"

Cameron flashed an artificial smile, "To check up on you. Sarah Connor has bent your nose."

"Those techies managed to fix you? Crap."

Cameron confirmed, "Yes, they did."

Derek responded with a glare, "Why are you really here?"

"I answered that question already."

"Oh yeah, like a terminator's going to check up on metal hating me out of its own free will. Did you lose your memory or are you simply ignoring the fact that you shot me in the leg?"

Derek never forgave Cameron for that graze on his leg. And let's not forget to mention that Cameron once shoved him into a wall sticking a gun in his face. She was hands down the most brutal terminator he ever came across.

Cameron admitted, "John sent me. He's concerned for you and wanted to know if he needed to visit you."

"Well tell him not to. It's just a broken nose."

Cameron's eyes stared at Derek unblinkingly, "I will. I hope you find him."

"Find who?"

Cameron tilted her head, keeping up her ugly stare, "The man you will look for with Jason Cameron, Charles Fischer."

Derek grew uncomfortable, "Okay, now you're scaring me. Stop staring at me like that"

"It's my job to scare people sometimes."

He frowned, "Just by existing you scare the hell out of everyone. Get out of here!"

Cameron ignored his insult, choosing instead to stare at the blank concrete wall behind Derek.

Suddenly Derek randomly questioned, "Why does he love you?"

"John?"

"Yeah, who else?"

Cameron was about to say Allison might love her like a sibling, but she didn't think it was an appropriate thing to say.

"John believes there's something more to me. He believes I'm more than an ordinary machine."

"In what way?"

"He believes I can think for myself. He believes I can choose to alter my mission within reason. I can like and dislike. I can love and hate."

"Can you?"

"Yes."

"That scares me. That's why you and I will never be on the same side. You're dangerous. You're a killer. I don't believe that part of you will ever change no matter how human John thinks you can become."

"This isn't your base anymore. You can't do anything to me."

"Look, I'm not interested in arguing with you metal. Just get out of here before you make me angrier."

Cameron ignored him once again, "John is a little squeamish. I'm unaffected by the appearance of blood, gore, or people in pain."

"Why are you telling me this?"

"Because John sent me here to do this."

Cameron reached forward, grabbed Derek's nose, and twisted.

Derek yelped in pain, "AHHHHHHH!"

The Lieutenant knocked away Cameron's hand and grabbed hold of his aching nose once again.

Cameron explained her sudden physical motion, "Your nose has been recalibrated. I have reversed the effects of Sarah Connor's damaging right hook."

Infuriated, Derek lashed his foot into Cameron's abdomen, but with lightning quick reflexes, she snatched his leg and pulled, slamming Derek back into his chair. Derek tried to find the resolve to fight back, but it died quickly upon the realization there was nothing he could do to hurt Cameron.

Derek cried out, "Please, just go. My nose is bleeding again."

He pinched his nose even tighter, trying to stagnate the flow of blood.

Still grabbing hold of Derek, Cameron insisted, "There's something else I need to tell you."

"What metal?!"

"Stop threatening me. It puts me in danger."

"What? You scared of dying?"

"No, but John is."

Still suffering the effects of pain, Derek found it in him to crack a joke, "Oh, is he going to whine a little if you are destroyed?"

"No, he will send someone back in time to save me."

Derek pushed, "And if he can't."

"Then..." Cameron paused.

Derek realized she was holding something back

"Then what?" He demanded.

"I don't know."

Derek demanded, "What aren't you telling me? What will he do if he can't bring you back?"

"He'll kill himself."

Suddenly, Derek realized that the terminator was being alarmingly serious, "What?! Suicide! No, I can't believe that."

"Sarah Connor has trouble accepting me. That drives a wedge between John and Sarah's relationship. For John's sake, you must accept me. He needs you to be on his side."

"Why the hell would that make him want to kill himself?!"

"John's father doesn't know him. John's uncle doesn't care about him. Sarah Connor is dying from cancer."

"She's what!"

Cameron tilted her head again, "She didn't tell you?"

Derek's face turned sullen and Cameron saw it.

He realized he was heartbroken and his emotions were evidently getting the better of him. Was it really true? Did he not care about his nephew? Was Sarah Connor really dying? Was John desperate to get closer to his father?

A distraught Derek managed to change the subject before he broke down, "What is it about you anyway? If Skynet created you to infiltrate the resistance and kill Connor, why didn't they task a Gray instead to kill him? Grays are humans aren't they? That eliminates the chance of being detected as a terminator!"

"I don't know all the reasons for my creation. That was the only mission Skynet gave me until I told John what I was."

"You told John what you were? Why, what did you tell him?!"

"I told him I was a machine."

"What?!"

"Skynet implanted Allison's memories into me. I believed I was Allison young, but then I realized I was a machine."

"And why's that significant?"

"John Connor could tell if people were lying, even Grays. He couldn't tell if I was lying because I believed I was Allison. My emotions were genuine."

"You have emotions now?"

"Allison's personality did. That's why I told him the truth."

Derek tried to form all the answers in his head, "You mean the truth that you were a machine?"

"Yes...after I killed Jason Cameron."

"What?!"

* * *

This was it. Sarah had been holding it off long enough. It was time to get it done when she had the chance. In thirty minutes, she would be leaving base alongside Jason and Derek in search of Charles Fischer, so now was as good a time as ever.

She spotted her son by the mess hall talking to a few intelligence officers. Sarah figured John was attempting to gather more information on Skynet's whereabouts. She suddenly realized how happy she was that John was doing this. Of course Allison, John Henry, Derek, Weaver, and everyone else were keeping a close eye on things, but knowing her son was taking on responsibility was a good sign.

But Sarah knew the real reason he was improving though. The people around him, including Savannah, Allison, Kyle, and even Cameron were helping him to become a better person, a better leader. They did more for him in a month than Sarah could do for him in eighteen years. It was sad, but true. She hated herself for that.

Sarah also noticed that John seemed a little despondent. Even though he normally masked his emotions, Sarah could tell when something was bothering him.

She approached John and interrupted his conversation, "John, John, I need to talk to you."

John disregarded her rather abruptly, "No mom, not know, I have work to do. Can't you see I'm in a conversation here?"

Sarah frowned, "You always have work to do. Sit here and let me say what I need to tell you."

When the two men in front of John witnessed Sarah's response, they smirked a little at the scene. John's pride took an instant hit because, even though he was supposed to be the most powerful person on base, he still took orders from his mother.

With a deep frown on his face, John immediately dismissed the officers, "You two can go, I'll, um, I'll talk to you guys later."

Once they left, John frustratingly turned to this mother, "Mom, what's going on? We really don't need to do this right now. It's just not good for people to see any of this stuff happening between you and me."

"Don't worry, I'm going to get straight to the point and then you can go. I just wanted to say I'm worried about you John."

He shrugged, "Yeah, well, what's knew?"

She admitted, "Seriously, I'm worried that you're upset with me. We haven't talked for ages."

"What reason could I possibly have for being upset with you? You didn't do anything to me."

"I died." Sarah replied.

John glared at Sarah with slight bewilderment, "What?"

"John, I can't stop it. I wish I could, but I can't. I'm wasting away, and any time now, I'm going to feel myself slip away. I can't...I can't live with myself knowing you hated me for not stopping judgment. I can't leave you knowing that you never forgave me. I know I wasn't there to protect you. And I know any day now I'll be gone. I won't be there for you anymore, but I..."

John's emotions quickly got the best of him. Just so his mother wouldn't see his eyes tear up, he rushed into his mother, squeezing her tighter than he ever thought possible.

John stammered, "No, I...I forgive you, I don't...I don't hate you."

Sarah manage to squeeze out of her mouth, "Good. That's...that's good. That makes me happy."

John really didn't want to cry. He feared someone would see him like this and get the wrong idea. He couldn't afford to look like he was falling apart. He needed to prove he was strong. John took the only course of action he saw fit. He changed the subject as quickly as he thought of doing it.

He redirected, "Allison told me you're going out with Derek in search of somebody. Just make sure you stay safe."

"I'll try."

Sarah, still grasping hold of John like he was her lifeline, smiled, "I'm glad we could talk, but there's something else I needed to tell you about."

John figured, "About me and Allison?"

Sarah let go of John to get a good look at his face, "What? What about you and Allison?"

"You told Derek that he shouldn't stop Allison from pursuing me."

Sarah suddenly found this to be a good time to stare at her boots, "You heard all that?"

He nodded, "Yeah, well, Allison kind of figured it out after a lengthy conversation with Derek after you put him in the hospital."

"So what happened? Did I screw it up between you and her."

"No."

"No?"

"Yeah, because Derek couldn't convince Allison to breathe if she didn't want to."

Sarah deduced, "So you mean she won't stop pursuing no matter what I do?"

John nodded, "You got that right. No one's stopping her."

"She's that stubborn is she?"

"Yep."

"You sure you two are not related?"

John frowned, "That's not funny."

"She's better though."

John suddenly felt an argument coming on, "Allison? She's better how?"

"She's better than a terminator that's constantly manipulating you."

"She's not doing that anymore."

"And how do you know that?"

"She just isn't."

"That's my point John. Even if she was, you wouldn't know."

"Listen, Cameron knows that she could do anything and I'd let her get away with it. And as far as I've been concerned, she's done nothing bad. If you take a look right now, you'll see the resistance is stronger than ever, Skynet's on the retreat, my family is...safer than it's ever been..."

 _No one is ever safe._

He continued, "...and we're all surviving."

Sarah argued, "There's just one problem. She's a machine John."

"I know she is, but she's different."

"Different in a good way?"

"Perhaps."

"John, I can't fathom you and Cameron..."

"Mom! We're not...we're not...no."

"But you will."

"I don't..."

Sarah interrupted, "What? You don't know? It's only a matter of time before you cross the line with her...and I know I can't stop you because you'll never forgive me."

"I don't know what to say." John looked a way, rubbing the back of his neck.

Sarah cried, "Say that you won't. Say that you'll choose anybody over a machine...the very thing that is supposed to kill you."

"I can't."

"Say it John. Say you'll never be with a machine. Swear to me you won't."

"Mom, I...I can't."

"Then you'll understand why I'm hoping Allison can change your mind."

"So is that what you wanted to talk to me about? Girls?"

Sarah shook her head, "Well, actually I wanted to talk to you about what happened, before judgment day. I want to tell you what happened before everything went away."

"No mom, you really don't have to tell me."

"You're wrong. I want to. I have to."

"Alright." He sighed.

Sarah took a deep breath to gather her thoughts before saying, "After Weaver went missing, Ellison became CEO of the company Ziera corp., controlling all assets until Savannah was old enough to take on the job. So Ellison and I decided that we'd work together on numerous occasions to try to find the people responsible for attacking John Henry."

"You mean you were looking for the head of Kaliba?"

"Yes."

"And you were hoping you could even delay and possibly prevent judgment day."

"Yes, but it wasn't easy. We didn't have John Henry or Weaver to help us, but we did have contacts through Ziera corporation and the FBI who helped us locate a few possible Kaliba locations. That's when we found someone who fit the profile as an advanced IT technician. To our surprise, we knew he had to be the head of Kaliba, the creator of a new Skynet."

"Who was it?!"

Sarah didn't immediately answer, "Ellison and I finally had him. We found the person responsible for all our pain and misery. John, actually did stop Skynet at first, but this sick man brought it back to us. He's the man responsible for murdering three billion people."

"Mom? Who was it?"

"Daniel. Danny Dyson."

"Dyson? You mean, like, Myles Dyson's son?"

John couldn't believe it. So many questions and so many thoughts swirled through his head.

Sarah nodded grimly, "Yes."

"So what did you do when you found out it was Dyson?"

"Ellison and I visited Tarissa, but she told me he Daniel Dyson hadn't been around in ages. He had gone completely off the radar after a company hired him to work on some IT project."

"Did you ever catch up to him?"

"Yes."

"So, what happened?"

"After two years of searching, I confronted him. I had my gun trained on him, but I couldn't pull the trigger. That's the reason I couldn't lead the resistance John. I couldn't kill. I've never killed a man before. I just can't."

"It's okay mom. I'm sure you did the right thing."

"No it wasn't! I had a chance to end it once and for all, but I didn't! I could have saved us, but I didn't! John, I want you to listen closely. If you ever go back in time, kill him. It doesn't matter what I tell you then, just kill him, please."

"Mom, that's not how it works."

"John, he's going to kill three billion people. You have to put him in the ground. Use Cameron if you have to, but kill that piece of filth!"

"Mom, I..."

"John, you don't have to tell me now. Just remember what I told you."

John nodded, "Okay, mom. Relax, I will."

"You will?"

"Mom, I'm sorry I hated you for when I killed Sarkissian. I just couldn't understand it at the time. But now, I know I have to kill. One day, I'll be ready to do it again. I understand now why you didn't want me to have a normal life. It's because I'm not normal. I'll never be normal. All that parenting eventually came to good use. I understand now. You were good to me."

Sarah didn't want to ask John to elaborate anymore. She was nearly in tears at those words.

Sarah sniffed one last request to her son, "Just answer me one thing though."

"What?"

"It's about Allison. Does she have any chance at all with you? Would you ever fall in love with her over Cameron?"

"Mom, I think you got this all wrong."

"What do you mean?"

"I love Allison, but I won't choose her over Cameron."

Sarah confessed, "I never thought of it that way."

"Well, that's just how it is."

"So, how are you doing?"

John smiled in relief, all too glad she changed the subject to something more endurable. At that moment, he felt good. He finally spoke to his mom. And even though his mom was going to die some day, he was happy. He felt really happy.

* * *

When Savannah stole a glance at her watch, she nearly panicked like a madman. It was time for the games to begin. As usual, she lost track of the time because she had spent most of her afternoons with Kyle because that was when his shift normally ended. Normally, John Henry reminded her of her upcoming activities, but Savannah hadn't really talked with John Henry for a while. She immediately put it in her mind to catch up with her AI friend at some point.

Savannah recalled that in a few hours, Lesley would arrive on base, so she knew that getting a little fun in before the grumpy lady came to base would be helpful.

She left Kyle's bunker rather quickly to rally John, Cameron, and Allison together. Savannah named her competition, "The Battle of Destiny", when in mere reality, it was just an ordinary paintball fight she had planned alongside Allison.

John, Cameron, Allison and Savannah now stood outside on training grounds, securely holding their training weapons in hand.

Allison spoke first, "Alright Savannah, we're all here. Let's get this game going."

Savannah placed a sudden glance on Cameron and screamed in surprise, "Wow Cameron, I almost forgot that all your flesh was missing! It's been so long I nearly forgot. How was your skin able to heal that quickly?!"

If one took a close look, Cameron had not even changed one bit. The only difference was that she was wearing a jumpsuit. Even though Cameron found her fashion choices to be a bit of a downgrade, it wasn't so bad because at least her outfit wasn't riddled with bullet holes anymore.

Cameron explained, "Rapid regeneration. My flesh can heal faster than a human's."

She smiled, "Yeah, I know, it's just amazing to see yourself back to normal, that's all."

Allison began to feel really annoyed with Savannah. Of course deep down inside her heart, she was little bit jealous that those compliments weren't directed at her, but mostly because she just wanted to have some fun.

Allison interrupted, "Okay Savannah, what's the rules?"

"Well, us four will be split up into teams of two. Allison and John will be captains. They each choose a side, heads or tails, and then I will flip a coin. The winner chooses his or her partner. Whichever person who is not chosen will go with the loser of the coin toss."

Allison answered, "Seems fair. I pick heads."

John shrugged, "I guess I'm tails then."

Savannah nodded, "Okay, I'll flip the coin."

Savannah immediately pulled the coin out of her pocket and threw it in the air. Once gravity brought it down to earth, it landed heads up. Allison flashed a devious smile at the result.

Savannah acknowledged, "Well Allison, you win. It looks like you go first. Who do you pick?"

Savannah was certain Allison would pick Cameron over herself. She did not take offense to it at all, because she knew that Allison prioritized winning over friendship.

Strangely, Allison said something she didn't see coming, "I pick...John."

"What?" Savannah argued, "No, John's a Captain."

Allison pointed out, "You didn't say Captains couldn't choose other Captains. It looks like you're stuck with the terminator Savannah."

John answered in surprise as well, "Well, I wasn't expecting that, but Savannah, it looks like Allison got you there."

Savannah frowned in confusion, "Wait? What happened to beating John Allison?"

Allison commented, "There's no point in beating John. I know I'm better than he is, so why should I shake his pride and kick his ass?"

John joked, "That's actually really thoughtful, in a very deluded and boastful way."

Savannah shook her head in dismay, "Allison, you really are full of yourself aren't you?"

The intelligence officer smiled, "Maybe, but only because I'm right."

John chimed in, "There you go again."

Allison explained, "I'd love to beat John, but I'd love to beat a terminator even more."

Cameron did not even flinch at Allison's comment. Her face remained as cold as ice, seemingly unperturbed by her twin's comments. This wasn't news to her though. There was no surprise Allison loved to compete with Cameron for a lot of things.

Savannah smirked, "Yeah, you think you can beat a terminator? You've got to be kidding me."

Allison announced with a confident undertone, "Nope, I'm not kidding you."

Savannah replied, your loss, "Your loss."

Savannah wasn't sure what was going on in Allison's head. After all, Cameron had complete control of all the machines. If there were no rules against choosing Captains, there were certainly no rules against using an advanced artificial intelligence to win the game.

Savannah stole another glance at her watch, "One minute, and then we begin. Remember, no one can leave training grounds until one team wins the game, which means "fatally" shooting both members of the same team."

John confirmed, "The same rules apply to you right?"

"Yep."

John suddenly remembered, "Wait? What about vests?"

Allison quickly answered, "No vests. It motivates us to not get shot."

John sighed, "Fair enough."

Savannah added, "Okay, the game starts in five minutes.

Allison tapped on John's shoulder, "Ok, time is of the essence. Let's move."

John and Allison quickly left Savannah's eyesight, prompting the redhead to address her cyborg teammate in professional fashion, "Cameron, hand me your radio, I would like to talk to John Henry."

"Why?"

"He can help us win."

"But..."

"Not buts, he can help us win if we use the machines to find and restrain John and Allison. There are no rules against it remember?"

"Okay."

Cameron didn't really understand what was going on, but seeing that bending the rules was part of the game, she conceded and handed the radio to Savannah.

Savannah held the radio close to her mouth and spoke, "John Henry? It's me Savannah, we need your help."

Savannah smile, "Okay, John Henry is looking for John and Allison as we speak. Any minute now, this game will be over and we won't even need to fire a single shot. How convenient."

Strangely, Cameron didn't answer.

Savannah tried to catch the cyborg's attention, "Hey Cameron? You in there?"

The silent Cameron randomly uttered out loud, "Pregnancy."

"Huh? Did you just say pregnancy?"

"Yes."

Savannah gazed towards Cameron in concern, "Are you interested in getting pregnant? Because I'm not sure you're capable of that."

Cameron explained, "No. I congratulated a woman on her pregnancy in front of her husband. She was not happy."

Savannah covered her mouth, "Oh my, did you see a baby inside of her womb?"

"Yes."

"Oh Cameron, you're not supposed to do that!"

"Why?"

Savannah deduced, "Well, sometimes women like to surprise their husbands with pregnancy news. But I bet they were pretty bummed out when some terminator reported it to them."

"I don't understand."

Savannah tried to explain further, "Having children is something to celebrate. That's why people like to be surprised when they hear pregnancy news. But you kind of spoiled it for that couple."

"Oh."

"Don't worry, I'm sure there are a lot of couples who you didn't irritate today. Just focus on the positives, not the negatives in your life."

Cameron didn't really understand how that was helpful as there was still so much she didn't know. There were still so many social interactions that resulted in many strange responses from people. For example, whenever she took off her coat, John's heart rate would spike. If she took off her top, John's blood pressure would soar. If she took off her jeans, John's speech would stutter. She wished to continue experimentation, but she realized going any further might put John at risk of cardiac arrest. She just had to settle with knowing little about humans and their many odd reactions.

* * *

John and Allison crouched down behind the corner of an old building. When John stole a glance inside the building, he realized it was actually built and used by recruits to practice raids. For a mere second, John thought about hiding inside, but immediately determined that doing that was stupid. In fact, he scolded himself for thinking of it in the first place. Seeing that Allison was completely silent and that Cameron and Savannah were nowhere in sight, he figured now was a good time to talk.

He said, "I hate waiting."

Allison didn't answer, she just kept scanning the wilderness for any sign of a threat.

He said again, "Sometimes waiting is more than I can bear. It eats at you."

Already exhausted by John's pokes for a conversation with her, she finally answered, "There something you want to tell me John Connor?"

"Yeah, well, it's just that while I've been waiting here fighting Skynet, more of my battles have been with the resistance instead of Skynet. I've been trying to get my allies to accept me, but it's hard. The resistance is focusing on me instead of focusing on an artificial intelligence bent on world domination."

Allison answered, "I know that. But why are you telling me this?"

"It's just, I...I was talking to mom earlier today. She told me that if I ever got the chance to go back in time, I should use that chance to try again."

"Try what again?"

"To stop Skynet. To prevent judgment from happening again."

"Okay, well, that's definitely something to think about."

"Yeah, well lately, I've been looking back at my time here in the future. And now that I think about it, I've realized that it's not that I'm not ready for the resistance, it's that the resistance might not be ready for me."

"I see your point, but really, what are you getting at?"

Allison still couldn't figure out what John was trying to tell her. He sounded so hopeless, but yet he seemed like he was on the verge of finding the solution to his complex situation.

"Allison, if I ever got the chance to go back, back in time to 2009, would you go with me? Would you help me save the world if we got that opportunity?"

Saying that Allison was taken aback would be an understatement. Going back to the future? Allison still struggled to believe it was possible. The thought of going back to a world that lively and inhabited was something she could never comprehend. Seeing it in pictures was nothing like seeing it in person. She suddenly imagined that all those dreams she had that could come true. She imagined being married to John and having two kids. She envisioned living in a house with a roof to prevent the rain from flooding her house. She pictured a world where she was safe, happy, prosperous, and secure.

"Hey Allison?"

Allison suddenly zoned back into reality, "Huh? What?"

"I'm sorry, maybe I shouldn't have asked you."

"J-J-John, I'm glad you want me to come with you, but I just couldn't pack my bags and leave Kyle and Derek and all my friends here. That's just not something I could do."

"But what if I got them to come too? What if I convinced them to go, then would you come?"

"If you could do that John, then yes, I'd love to go with you. In fact, I'd want to go with you. I've always wanted to try peanut butter."

John frowned in confusion, "Peanut butter?"

Allison nodded, "Yeah, peanut butter. You know that sticky gooey stuff made out of peanuts?"

John laughed, "Yeah, Allison I know what that is. I basically lived off that stuff growing up."

John found it both shocking and funny that Allison was excited about something so cheap and quite commonly sold in every grocery store in the world. It was eye opening for him, because he hated peanut butter. It's not that peanut butter tasted bad per say, but that he had eaten it so much, he just couldn't stand it anymore.

Allison flashed a bright smile, "Really, what does it taste like? Derek tried to explain to me what it tasted like, but he's not really good at describing things."

John rubbed his chin in thought, "Well, it's salty, it's sweet, and really nutty. If you eat enough of it at once, the stuff can get stuck on the roof of your mouth."

Allison rubbed her flat stomach, "Wow, you're making me hungry when you talk about it."

"Yeah, well thanks Allison for wanting to come with me. It means a lot to me."

"No worries John, it's kind of sweet to know you're concerned about me being with you."

Allison knew that Cameron would be going with John too, but she ignored that for a moment to enjoy the thoughtfulness and concern John had for her company. It felt good to be appreciated, even if it was under the shadow of her cyborg nemesis. Little did Allison know, it was Cameron who first suggested that he should bring her to the future.

John smiled brightly for a second, but a human-like figure suddenly cut short his response.

Glancing to his right, he saw a T-888 staring at him, "Allison, look behind you."

Allison swiveled her head around to see the machine approaching them, "What? Oh, he's coming toward us."

John panicked, "It's a machine! Why is that machine looking at us like that?"

Allison quickly got up, "Beats me. C'mon, let's keep going. We've been here a bit too long anyway."

John grabbed hold of Allison, stopping her in her tracks, "Okay, forgive me for my paranoia, but it looks like it's following us."

Allison turned back to the machine, "Crap!"

"What do you mean crap?"

"Cameron and Savannah must be using John Henry against us. They know where we are!"

John asked, "What do you wanna do?"

"Run!"

Unfortunately, John didn't feel like running. He was already tired and he certainly wasn't going to let some machine bully him.

John held his hands out in disapproval, "No Allison, wait. I have a plan. Just let me talk to him."

Allison wondered if John was losing his mind.

She yelled, "You can't argue with a machine John! Let's go!"

John shook his head, "No, not the machine, I mean John Henry! He can be reasoned with."

"I doubt that you can do that in one minute! Come on, let's move already!"

"Don't argue with me Allison, I got this."

John stood his ground against the T-888, forcing a reluctant Allison to stay close, "John Henry, I know you can hear me."

The machine kept coming forward, almost as if it was deaf to any words John could possibly say. Allison suddenly couldn't move. She couldn't even scream. She was completely dumbstruck in confusion. She immediately flash backed to the time a machine nearly snapped her neck. It was a dreadful memory that still plagued her mind.

Meanwhile, John stood where he was. He persisted in speaking to John Henry through the ears of the machine, "I know you like helping Cameron and Savannah, but they're using you to help them win a game against us. They're cheating."

Suddenly, the T-888 stopped. John Henry, all alone in Ziera basement, suddenly pondered John's message. The word 'cheating' really got to him. He recalled the time he and Ellison played a board game together. He remembered how he rolled the dice in his own favor so he could win the game. He knew that Ellison told him that cheating was wrong.

Gradually, John Henry figured out what he had to do. He wanted no part of this game if it meant cheating. Without an indication otherwise, The T-888 stopped, turned around, and left without another word.

John wiped the sweat off his forehead, "Phew, that was a close one."

Still caught up in a bit of nail biting fear, Allison stammered, "N-n-nice work."

Allison's eyes seemed completely out of focus. She just stood there, almost like she was unaware of what was going on.

John gave Allison a look of concern, "Hey Allison, you doing okay?"

Allison looked up to John, "What?"

Looking at her apologetically, he said, "Come on partner, let's get out of here. We have game to win. Keep in mind our location is compromised."

Allison nodded, "Yeah...um, yeah. I just..."

John cut her off, "Apologies later. Do you have any ideas of where to hide? Cameron and Savannah might be here any minute"

Allison nodded, "Yeah, I know a place."

* * *

 _Want to know who wins the fight? Stay tuned. There's a whole lot more to come in the next chapter. Like I said before, this was all supposed to be one big long chapter, but as usual, I've decided to split it up into two parts._


	30. Fighting Back

Chapter 30

 _15,000 words take a long time to write...  
_

* * *

Savannah grinned, "Hey Cameron, I was wondering, based on all our skills and personality traits, what do you think our jobs would be if it was still 2009?"

"Which people?" She queried.

"All of us. Allison, me, etc."

Cameron replied, "Allison Young would be a homicide detective, a military officer, or an assassin."

Savannah gave Cameron an awkward look, "Assassin?"

"You didn't say they had to be legal." She said defensively.

The woman clarified, "Yes Cameron, they must be legal."

Cameron didn't say anything in protest.

Savannah asked, "So, what about me?"

Cameron paused for a second, before calculating a possibility, "You would be a car salesman."

Savannah replied, "Okay, I'm not even going to ask how you came to that conclusion. What about Derek Reese?"

"He'd be in jail."

Savannah laughed, "Ha, very funny! And John?"

"He'd be...a Senator."

"A state Senator?! You really think so? You really think he'd be a leader?"

Without giving an indication otherwise, Cameron confidently answered, "Yes."

"That's pretty cool, though I would dispute your theory about me being a car salesman!"

"I understand," said the unsmiling cyborg.

Savannah took another glance at her walkie-talkie, "Hm, that's weird, John Henry hasn't answered yet. Let me call and find out what's going on with him."

She grabbed hold of her radio and said out loud, "Hey John Henry, did you find them yet?"

When Savannah heard John Henry's reply spoken into her ears, she just couldn't believe it.

The woman, whose hair was covered in red and blonde highlights, forcefully shoved her radio back into her holder and grunted, "Damn it!"

Cameron, still standing beside her, pointed out, "Derek Reese says that a lot."

Savannah explained, "Yeah, well when you're in a tough situation, that's what people say."

"What's wrong?" The cyborg queried.

Cameron and Savannah were still standing together on training grounds. They never moved even after John and Allison ran off to find cover. Savannah was certain she could use John Henry to win the game easily, but it appeared he was no longer interested.

Savannah explained, "John Henry says we're cheating! I don't know what John or Allison said to him, but we've lost those two for good! John Henry's not helping us anymore!"

Cameron surmised that John Henry didn't suddenly change his mind. John must have appealed to John Henry's moral code so he wouldn't help them anymore. She still wasn't sure what John Connor could have possibly told the advanced artificial intelligence, but it didn't matter anymore. She had to try something else. With a sudden pause, she scanned the open area for a possible hint of Allison's voice. Just because John Henry wouldn't help anymore didn't me she couldn't.

Savannah frowned, "What are you doing Cameron? Do you hear something?"

Cameron smiled slightly, "Yes."

A curious look sparked Savannah's interest, "Really? You can hear Allison?"

The cyborg nodded once again, "Yes."

With renewed enthusiasm, Savannah smiled, "Great! What a relief! Adding to the fact you know this entire base inside and out, maybe you can figure out where they are!"

"I do. They're in the junkyard." The terminator replied.

"The junkyard? Both John and Allison are over there? Are you sure?"

"Yes." She deadpanned once again.

Savannah deviously grinned, "We don't need John Henry after all. How awesome is that? You know, we are some nasty rule breakers aren't we? I mean, with your super sensitive hearing and all. Hey, maybe we can call our team the 'Dragon Queens' or maybe 'The Vipers'. That sounds pretty cool."

Cameron suggested, "How about bitch whores?"

The human woman suddenly winced in disgust, "Huh? No, absolutely not! We're not whores!"

Cameron tilted her head, "What are bitch whores?"

Savannah rephrased, "People who are not us. That's all you need to know."

Of course Cameron knew the meanings behind 'bitch' and 'whore', but she thought that it had a different meaning if she put the two together. After all, butterfly had nothing to do with butter or flies, so why couldn't it be the same for bitch whores? Based on Savannah's negative reaction, though, she figured out that bitch whore was not the same as butterfly. Cameron knew that making such odd and potentially offensive statements could have serious consequences. She found her relationship with Savannah quite beneficial and she knew from experience that relationships were supposed to be a 'good' thing. With lots of experience with John, Cameron knew that relationships with humans could be somewhat fragile. This meant she had to make reparations as quickly as possible to prevent any serious or potential damage from ruining her relationship with Savannah.

The terminator quickly apologized, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, you know I can't stay mad at you Cameron. C'mon, let's go find those two and show them how it's done."

Cameron pushed forward, "Yes, we will show them."

Cameron couldn't put her finger on it, but she was unsure about something. It was illogical, but she just couldn't calculate any possible answer to a question that popped onto her CPU. It was strange. It annoyed her somehow if that was somehow possible. She tried to figure out what Allison was up to in the junkyard. Maybe she was planning some underhanded scheme. Or maybe she was simply a pawn in Allison's chess game. But then again, maybe it was nothing. Maybe Allison was basically pretending to have the upper hand when in reality she had nothing.

The female machine could never forget Allison's superpowers. In fact, Cameron's CPU always classified Allison as "High" on her threat level rating system. That's because she knew that Allison could lie to her and she'd have no way of determining whether it was the truth. She could easily set up a sniper and send her metal endoskeleton to hell if she so wished.

That made Allison Young infinitely dangerous, not only to herself, but to John Connor as well.

Yet, when it came to John's safety, there was no one Cameron trusted more than Allison. In reality, if Cameron were an ordinary machine, she'd probably want Allison away from John, but with the knowledge that Allison was in love with John, she somehow trusted her. It made no sense. How could Cameron's own self know that Allison was in love with John? How could she truly understand what genuine love was between two people? Cameron didn't think she understood love, at least not completely. Even John and Sarah's love for each other as mother and son was a rather strained and unconventional to her. What's worse was that even though she told John that she loved him, she wasn't sure she did. Did she lie to him to satisfy his desire or did she really believe it?

Of course, there was so much more Cameron didn't know about herself. Why did she like and dislike Allison at the same time? Why did she talk to Savannah when she was confused about something instead of anyone else? Was it because Savannah was nice to her? Why did she dance? Why did she eat when she didn't have to? Why did she want to kiss John even when it gave her no pleasure? Did it give her pleasure? If so, how was she experiencing such pleasure? It was too much though. If she thought any further about the matter, she'd zone out. She had to return to combat mode. Yes, that's exactly what she'd do. These thoughts were pointless anyhow. She had a mission to complete. She was going to put two paintballs between Allison and John's eyes. That would be figurative of course, since that would seriously injure them and that would be bad. She figured that the legs, chest, or back would be safer places to shoot them.

"Hey Cameron?"

The blank face of the still cyborg suddenly zoned back into reality, "What?"

Savannah pointed at Cameron's feet, "You aren't moving anymore. Why'd you stop?"

"No reason." The terminator lied.

"Everything you do is for a reason Cameron, even if you don't know it yourself. Really, what are you thinking about?"

Cameron logged those words into memory for further analysis. The terminator didn't completely understand her quote, but for some reason, she felt it was important, if not true.

Cameron emphasized, "Nothing you want to know about."

"I always like to know what you're thinking Cameron. But since we're pressed for time, I'll let it go this time. Now come on then, let's get a move on it before we lose them!"

"Yes Savannah."

* * *

Even though the junkyard wasn't exactly an ideal place to be, both Allison and John knew that being out in the open was pretty much the same thing as signing a death wish. They had moved around for several minutes, always staying one step ahead of Cameron. Allison suggested the junkyard because she believed it gave them the best chance at defeating Cameron. It was practically a very difficult maze and Allison knew the place inside and out. She remembered that she used to hide here whenever Derek did something to upset her. The funny thing was, she couldn't recall anything Derek ever did that made her upset in the first place. It was an awkward thing to think about.

They snuck behind a large cement wall, choosing to position themselves on the front side of an old rusted truck to rest for a few minutes. Nearly exhausted, John leaned against the truck, trying to wipe the sweat off his forehead. Allison was like a workhorse. She wasn't winded at all from their excessive maneuvering.

As a result of the contact between John and the vehicle, the truck made a loud creaking noise, prompting Allison to gasp, "Shhh John, I can hear them coming! You and I both know Cameron can detect us a mile away!"

John raised his hands up in a mocking surrender, "Okay, relax, don't shoot."

Allison frowned, not the least bit mused by his comical response.

* * *

The sound of metal grinding metal caught Savannah by surprise. They had just made it to the junkyard and that loud screeching noise gave away Allison and John's position

"Hey Cameron, did you hear that?" The blonde woman excitedly whispered.

Cameron took a quick glance to her left, immediately using her infrared sensors to detect two warm bodies hidden behind a large divider. Noticing that one heat signature was 5'6" and the other was over 5'7", she knew it had to be them. Savannah was ecstatic. To her, it seemed like there were two scared little animals behind their thin wall of defense. She wondered if John and Allison really thought they could stump Cameron with a simple maze.

The cyborg quietly pointed her finger in John and Allison's direction, "This way."

Savannah silently mouthed, "They're there? Great! Let's go!"

They quietly creeped towards an opening, hoping to ambush John and Allison. They both crouched down and moved slowly, doing their best to keep a low profile.

* * *

Unfortunately for John and Allison, they heard their enemies' footsteps get louder and louder until they could hear their breathing. John almost thought he could hear Cameron breathing as well, though it didn't really make sense considering Cameron didn't need to. Nevertheless, his heart dropped in disappointment. It seemed like the game was over so much faster than it started. They were trapped with absolutely no way out.

John and Allison waited patiently, hoping and praying that just maybe they didn't know they were there, but then they heard something.

"Surrender, or be terminated. I have my gun and I will shoot!" Savannah laughed to a dismayed John.

This was it, John and Allison were caught, and there was nothing they could do about it.

Cameron immediately assessed Savannah's life threatening warning as an exaggeration, dismissing termination protocol. Savannah drew her gun and fired a few paintballs into the air, reminding John and Allison that she was armed and ready to fire.

Hearing and seeing no response behind the cement wall where she knew John and Allison were, she figured something was wrong. Were they still up to something? She had no idea. She immediately switched off her infrared vision, not seeing a need for it anymore. She knew where they were and there was 0.02 % chance they could find a way out.

In an effort to convince them to come out sooner, Cameron decided to speak up, "You're trapped John. Please come out. We win."

John was about to answer, but Allison placed her hand on John's mouth and said, "Shut up, I'll do the talking."

John frowned, almost offended that a nutty Allison would talk to him that way.

Finally, Allison cried, "Never, you evil robot! You'll have to come in here and shoot us first!"

John looked at Allison in confusion. Was Allison being for real?

Savannah shot back with an insult, "Don't be a sore loser Allison! Come out and we can go home!"

Savannah didn't understand all the delay. Allison had clearly lost, yet she was still holding tight to her final precious moments. This was very uncharacteristic of a girl Savannah knew was almost as straightforward as Cameron.

Savannah tried once again to reason with her, "You don't want red splotches of paint on your purple jacket do you? Come on out, no need to keep any of us waiting. Surrender, and we can all go home."

Allison screamed, "Oh, now you've gone too far. Never ever mention my jacket again! Now you've done it! You're done for!"

John tried to calm a raucous Allison down. The intelligence officer constantly peaked trying to get eyes on her nemesis' position. If John didn't know any better, he would have thought Allison was losing her mind.

With a soft and tender voice, he whispered, "Look Allison, you sound like you're crazy. Listen, they have us. Trying to beat a terminator was a bad idea in the first place. Let's just give up now and we can go home. Bragging rights really aren't a big deal around here."

With a passionate vigor, she shot back, "No John, we're not beaten yet."

John rubbed the back of his head furiously, "Allison, Cameron has impeccable aim. If we jump out the corner and shoot guns blazing then we're screwed. That's blind desperation and she'll mow us down because of it. Admit it, we're trapped!"

Allison vehemently shook her head, "No we're not."

"How? How can you possibly see a way out of this? You're being deluded."

Allison paused, turned to John, and gave him a very serious face, "John, if you want to be a leader, you're going to have to open yourself to other possibilities, no matter how uncomfortable they might be."

He retorted all too quickly, "If I want to be a leader, I'd like to be realistic."

Allison, undeterred by his remarks, frowned, "John, you don't see it yet but I do. We still have one last play we can make."

"What play?"

"Sometimes we have to sacrifice the Queen in order to protect the King. I'm the Queen."

John fixed his eyes on Cameron, "Sacrifice? Hey, you're talking about chess?"

His teammate nodded, "Yeah, now I need you to trust me. We can still win this."

John sighed, "Okay, I'll bite. What do you want me to do?"

Allison said these two words gravely, "John, this is the most important thing you'll ever do in your entire life, so I really mean it when I say you have to trust me."

"Okay Allison, I got it." He sighed in frustration.

"Good, now hug me."

John suddenly backed away in disarray, "What? This is no time for jokes."

Allison nabbed him, flinging her slender arms around his body, "Just hug me real tight John."

Unsurprisingly, Cameron heard their entire conversation. There was no chance she misheard as they were quite audible being just a few feet away. After hearing those words, she suddenly flinched in the oddness of their conversation.

Savannah witnessed her flinching and asked her about her peculiar behavior, "Why are you behaving so weirdly Cameron? You can still hear them talking, right? What did Allison say to John huh?"

She deadpanned, "Allison asked John to hug her."

Savannah surmised, "Maybe they're trying throw you off or something. Just make sure you don't let them get to you."

Cameron affirmed, "They won't get to me."

Savannah suddenly hollered to the hidden John and Allison, "It's all over now. Throw away your weapons so we can see them. Hugging won't a change a thing. We can hear everything you say."

Unexpectedly, John tossed his weapon out as soon as Savannah said it. However, Savannah knew that Allison hadn't tossed her own weapon yet.

Savannah insisted, "Okay, one more weapon. Allison, show me your weapon."

"Sure thing. I'll definitely show you." The intelligence officer smirked from behind the wall.

Suddenly, Allison jumped from behind the wall. Her back faced Savannah and Cameron, but there was someone she was holding on to. It was John. As she hugged John as tightly as she could, she covered every square inch of his body in hopes of protecting him from the paintballs that she knew would be flying. Immediately, Savannah and Cameron opened fire toward John, but Allison, being in front of John, stopped all the paintballs that were meant for him. He was too well protected in the arms of Allison Young. With one hand holding a paintball gun, John fired two quick rounds in a split second towards each opponent facing him. It was all over.

Before they knew it, Cameron and Savannah had two yellow splotches of paint on the front of their clothes while Allison had countless red blobs that went splat on her jacket. Cameron and Savannah stopped firing now knowing that they were hit. John was the last one standing. They never got a shot on him. Miraculously, John and Allison's team won.

* * *

Allison's eyes were still closed, and she was still grasping hold of John for dear life.

She murmured, "Did we win? Did you shoot them?"

John smiled, "Yeah, we won. You can let go of me now."

Allison shook her head, "I can't."

John rolled his eyes, "Allison we talked about this."

"No, I mean I'm going to collapse to the floor. I'm in a lot of pain right now. My back really hurts, I can't move."

"Oh, sorry. Let me just put you down right here."

"But that's not where it hurts the most."

"What then?"

"My jacket might be ruined. I really hope I can clean it off."

John chuckled slightly, "Next time, we should play with vests."

"That's a good idea."

John grabbed hold of her waist and slowly dropped Allison to ground so she could lean herself against the wall. John had considered leaving her alone for now, but something really got to him. There was something that Allison did that made him think really critically for a moment. In truth, it actually frightened him. He couldn't wait, he had to ask her now.

John curiously inquired, "Why though?"

Allison tilted her head upwards to meet John's eyes, "Why what?"

"Why did you want me to take the shots on Cameron and Savannah? You've argued that you have better aim. If you really think so, why didn't you take the shots and I cover you instead? I can take a paintball to the back just as well as you can."

Allison answered quite vaguely, "It's not about aim. It's about doing what's right."

This struck John really hard. What did Allison mean by 'doing what's right'? His red cheeks transitioned to a very pail complexion. He knew what Allison was getting at and he didn't like it.

What Allison really meant was that she'd die for him. He had somehow hoped that just maybe Allison didn't really love or value him because then she wouldn't take a bullet for him. He subconsciously hoped that maybe she was pretending to love him, but now John knew for sure. He realized that to Allison, he wasn't a trophy, he was more than that.

With fear overcoming his mind, he questioned her, "Wait a minute. If this were real life...real bullets, you'd...you'd cover me even if those were real bullets?!"

Allison replied in a shockingly casual voice, "Yeah, whatever."

John vehemently shook his head, "No, no, no, no! Cameron can do it because she can. You're not! You...you can never do that!"

Allison growled, "I do whatever I want John. You don't control my life."

He pressed, "Allison, you believe it don't you? You really believe I'll be a leader one day?"

She sighed, "John, I've always believed it."

He burst into a sweat as he packed himself back and forth, "But my leadership can't come at the expense of your life! Don't you understand? I'm not worth dying for. You can't do that."

When John lost Cameron several times, he grew more and more attached to his cyborg companion. He realized how much he loved her. But when John found out that Allison was willing to do the same to keep him safe, well, let's just say it scared him. He realized just how much Allison loved him and how much he cared for her as well. But John knew one thing for sure. He wasn't going to lose her again, not her and not Cameron, not ever again.

John's low voice, barely audible, said, "I know what you did for me Allison. Cameron told me what you did. In another timeline, you died for me."

"And I'd do it again. Derek was right, we all die for you."

John felt the sudden need to pull out all of his hair, "That was a different Derek! Don't you see, the Derek who's with us right now wants to take you away! He wanted that because I put you in danger! But you know what I told him? I said no! I thought I could keep you safe right here with me, and now you tell e you're willing to take a bullet for me! No, that's...that's just..."

Allison interrupted, "If you can convince Cameron to stop protecting you, then I'll stop protecting you."

John replied in his low raspy voice, "You know I could never do that."

"Because you don't want to or because you can't?"

"Because I can't." He said.

"Well, it looks like you're stuck with me then."

John declared apathetically, "No, I can't let that happen. I can't. I think Derek was right, I should let you go."

"Let me go?" Allison tilted her head in confusion.

"LA Airforce. They need someone with experience to work communications. You start tomorrow."

Allison's mouth never really dropped that often. That's because nothing she saw in post-apocalyptic Los Angeles was really that startling anymore. But when he heard those words being uttered through John's mouth, it really did. Swarms of insults, questions, memories, and hallucinatory images passed through her mind. Her stomach filled with so many butterflies, it started to hurt. Adrenaline dulled the serious pain she had felt in her upper and lower back. She started feeling really hot in her relatively thin purple jacket. Her eyes were lost in dismay. She forced herself to come back to her senses, but after she did, she wished she could go back.

Shocked, Allison screamed, You're throwing me under the bus, just like that?! After everything we did together, you'd throw it all away? You selfish prick! What's the point of having loved ones if they're never there to love you? What's the point of having friends if they're never there to help you?"

John crouched down and lent his hand to Allison, "I'm not throwing you anywhere, I'm helping you stay safe. Now let me help you up. We should talk to Savannah and Cameron now."

Allison slapped John's hands away, "No! Get away."

It was an awful turn of events. Allison had enjoyed her gracious win over Cameron for only two minutes before she got offed by John Connor himself. It was frustrating, humiliating, and tremendously heartbreaking.

An emotionally frustrated man walked off towards Cameron's direction, ignoring the woman who collapsed back to the ground in newfound emotional pain. He was angry too, and if he stayed there next to Allison, he feared he'd do or say something he'd regret.

* * *

Savannah and Cameron **had not** noticed the scene between John and Allison. That's because Cameron diverted all her resources into addressing a number of Savannah's imperative questions.

The redhead squealed happily, "Cameron, look, your hand is glitching again! Maybe John Henry didn't repair your chip like he said."

The female terminator said, "My chip is fixed."

Savannah took another glance at her fingers, "But your hand is still glitching. See?"

Savannah noticed that every time she talked about her glitching hand, her hands and wrists would keep twitching and her fingers fell into a spasms more fervently than before.

"My chip is fixed." She reasserted.

Savannah laughed in realization, "Oh, I see. You're jealous! Yes, you're jealous! That's so incredibly cute!"

"Jealous?"

Cameron had never used or thought about that word before. It was interesting.

Savannah explained, "Cameron, you know that Allison beat you only because it makes her feel good about herself. She also probably wants to impress John. You don't have to let Allison take your John away from you."

"My John?" The cyborg said.

"Yes, no one else has him like you do. He's still yours. Now go for it. Show him you love him more."

"You think I can love John?"

"John Henry says he loves me. If John Henry can do it, I know you can do it too. Now go, tell him what you're thinking."

Cameron wanted to ask Savannah what love meant to her. She wanted to know if love could assimilated or if it had to be genuine. But unsurprisingly, they noticed a weathered John fast approaching.

Savannah smiled, "Look, here's your opportunity, now don't disappoint!"

As soon as John reached, he spoke, "Cameron! Oh hey Savannah, could you give me a minute with Cameron."

"Sure thing, I'll go talk to Allison. Congratulations on your win."

"We just beat you in a game and you're all cheery?"

"Well, if I were grouchy, then you'd be amused. I won't satisfy your desires to see me grouchy because I lost. Nope that's not me."

John acknowledged her cleverness, but it still didn't add up to him.

He answered with another question, "But don't those paintballs hurt? I shot you pretty hard in the abdomen."

Savannah lifted her shirt to show John her midriff, "Look here."

John noticed a red little splotch on Savannah's pale skin. John knew that's exactly where he hit her, but that's not what caught John's attention. It was her muscular abs that forced him to take a second look."

"Wow, look at those muscles!"

"Yeah, I can take a punch too you know. It really doesn't hurt that much."

John joked, "How much do you exercise like 30 hours a day or something?"

Savannah smiled in good humor, "Mmmm...more or less I think? You know what else, I think Allison and I will get our clothes washed. I think her purple jacket turned red."

John warned, "Savannah wait!"

Just as the blonde woman was leaving, Savannah turned back to face John, "What is it?"

He replied, "Allison, her back hurts. Could you help her to the infirmary to make sure she's okay?"

"You got it."

"And one more thing."

"What's that?" Savannah said.

"She's really upset with me. So don't...um, don't say anything to distress her."

Savannah wondered, what it was, but thought it best not to ask John immediately. She figured that John wanted to Cameron about whatever it was first.

She simply replied, "Oh my, well I would ask you what it is that she's mad about, but I'm guessing you don't want to tell me."

"Yeah."

"Okay then. See you around Cameron."

"Goodbye."

As soon as Savannah left, John grasped Cameron's hand and squeezed, "Sorry I shot you in the chest. Allison really wanted to win."

John noticed there was a little splat on the right side of Cameron's chest. It didn't seem to bother Cameron at all though.

"It's okay." She said.

"You know something funny Cameron. Whenever I hold you hand, I feel like I'm on top of the world. Ironically, I feel like Skynet isn't here when I'm with you." He romantically expressed.

However, in a rather harsh way to kill his tender passion, she rather bluntly responded, "But you were holding her hand instead."

John shook his head, "Who, Allison? No, I didn't. Is this because she hugged me? C'mon Cameron, you know that was purely for tactical reasons."

"Okay."

John didn't think Cameron really meant it, "Hey! Why are you rolling your eyes? You...you..."

Cameron suddenly walked away. John immediately ran in pursuit, "No Cameron, there's really not time for this. I can't play this "hard to get" game with you right now."

Cameron turned back to face John, "No time for what?"

"I'm being serious. It's about Allison, did you hear what I told her just now?" John asked.

"No."

"Well, I told her I'm letting her go."

Cameron tilted her head, "You're sending her away?"

Cameron knew that Allison would never leave voluntarily. This had to be John's doing.

John did his best to explain, "Listen, I know that mom and Savannah would be against it, but I know that Derek and Kyle would be all for it. But I need your opinion. It's the most important."

Cameron was strangely glad she used the word "opinion" and not "direction". It meant that John did have a mind of his own. It was her own little proof against Sarah and Allison who often always suspected her of manipulating and controlling him.

She answered indifferently, "It doesn't matter, your mind is already made up. If you really weren't sure, you would have asked me."

"Well, just tell me if you think what I'm doing is wrong." He asked of her.

"It's not my decision."

John pleaded with her, "Cameron, please...I feel terrible, if not miserable that I have to do it! Tell me, am I doing the right thing?"

Unexpectedly, the machine voiced, "I don't know. Maybe neither are right."

"How can neither be right?" John scratched his head in confusion.

"There might be another way."

John still couldn't figure it out, "What do you mean? What other options are there?"

"I have an idea."

"What idea?" He pressed.

"I will tell you."

John sighed, "I sense there's a 'but' coming?"

"I first need to tell you something. John Henry contacted me two minutes and thirty-two seconds ago."

"What did he say?"

Cameron replied, "John Henry has confirmed several reports that Skynet is transporting more machines into Century Work Camp. Intelligence HQ also confirms increased Skynet activity in that location."

"Does John Henry know what Skynet's planning?"

"They may be planning to attack us at anytime."

"To take over the base you mean?"

"Yes."

"Well, where are their supplies of machines coming from?"

For second there, John considered cutting off Skynet's supply of machines. It seemed to be a much safer option than going into a full blown battle between Skynet.

"Weaver's soldiers think that they're coming from Death Valley."

John gritted his teeth in utter exasperation, "Of course they are. That place is heavily fortified. We can't cut if off can we?"

"Not right now. They're being sent their by Skynet Tanks. They are very difficult to destroy and they require no fuel to operate. It is impossible to cut them off."

John desperately held onto his head, hoping he could figure out how to solve another headache of a mess, "Remind me again what belongs to the resistance and what belongs to us?"

"The resistance primarily controls Southern California, including Los Angeles, Riverside, Long Beach, Santa Ana, Shoshone, and the San Bernardino area."

"And what do they have?"

"Skynet possesses mostly Northern California, including Eureka, Susanville, Bridgeport, Oakland, San Jose, and Fresno. They are currently gaining more ground in Sacramento."

"Damn it."

"Derek Reese says that a lot."

"Yeah, well that's what people say when they're disappointed."

"I know."

"What are we going to do Cameron?"

Cameron knew that John wasn't really asking a question. He was just frustrated. He already knew what he had to do. He had to make a plan and he had to talk to the rest of the gang. Ultimately, John knew the inevitable was coming. He'd have to fight. The only question was, how?

Cameron deadpanned, "You know what you have to to do. That's not everything I wanted to tell you though."

"What else is there?" He asked.

"We have to be on the same page in case things go sideways."

"And that is?"

"If we lose this fight, we go back."

"Back where?" John wondered.

"Not where, when."

"Huh? Go back in time? We lose one fight and you want to go back in time?"

John was surprised. He was certain that if they ever went back in time, it would be because of his own wishes, so he was surprised to hear Cameron say it.

"What's going on Cameron? You sound just as gloomy as Allison is sometimes. Even if we did lose, we could just retreat to place that's safer. This war can't be defined by one battle, you know that right?"

"Skynet will keep fighting until all its units are destroyed. It won't retreat."

"Why not?"

"Skynet's goal is not what you think. They're not trying to find a strategic advantage over us. They're not trying to kill all of us. They want to conquer this base only and let the rest of the resistance bases crumble inwardly due to demoralization."

"Now that's depressing."

"Yes, but well conducted. Our base has become the strongest in California and the only one that fights back. If we fall, so does the resistance, regardless of whether you or Allison survives."

"Great." John murmured sarcastically.

Cameron demanded of John, "You need to fix your relationship with Allison. She shouldn't be mad at you."

John paused for a second. He didn't want to end their conversation on such a dreadfully boring topic. Finally, he made up his mind.

He smiled, "First, let me fix mine with yours."

John reached in to give Cameron a kiss on her cheek, but a sudden sharp jolt in his back knocked him to the ground. He could feel the pain just below his left shoulder. It hurt pretty bad. He quickly turned around in search of his aggressor, but he found no one."

John writhed in pain, "What was that?"

Cameron's hands reached towards John's shoulder to feel a thick yellow substance oozing off his clothing. She rubbed it in between her fingers and analyzed the substance.

 **Analyzing:**

 **Color: Yellow**

 **Toxicity Levels: Low**

 **Substance: Polyethylene Glycol (Paint)**

Cameron remarked, "Allison would make a great sniper. She's a good marksman."

* * *

Cameron knew that it would be a while before John worked up the courage to talk to Allison. She felt a strong urge to converse with her to make sure she was okay. It wasn't hard to find Allison though. Being so emotional, Cameron knew the only place she'd cry was her bunker. After a few strides, she was there in minutes. Allison's door was open, so she took the liberty of walking right in.

She found Allison sitting there on her small mattress, not moving one inch. She didn't really feel like talking to anyone, but she knew that it was pointless. Cameron would have talked to her one way or another.

Standing there for several minutes, neither twin looked at the other, simply basking in the silence.

Finally, Cameron said, "Did Savannah help you here?"

"Yes."

"How is your back."

"Sore, but I'll live. I told Savannah I didn't need to go to the hospital"

"But are you okay?"

"Yeah!"

"But are you okay?" She repeated.

Allison seemed to get the message. She wasn't talking about her physical pain.

Allison sulked, "I can't begin to tell you how I'm feeling."

She turned her head up to stare at Cameron's shadow brooding in the distance.

The shadow answered back in the same voice, "Bad?"

"Bad is an understatement." Allison smirked.

Cameron finally said, "I will talk to John."

Allison asked, "About what?"

"I will convince him to let you stay." She determined.

Allison asked with curious eyes, "You'd do that for me?"

"Yes." The cyborg smiled.

Cameron turned to leave to give Allison some space, but Allison stopped her, "No, Cameron!"

Cameron stopped and turned around.

When Cameron's eyes laid on Allison's, the human teenager scorned, "I don't want you to tell John anything. If he wants me gone, then I'm gone. I don't care anymore. He's too cold and indifferent. I should never have fallen for him in the first place."

The terminator knew that Allison was lying, but if she knew better, pointing that out would be a bad idea. She was angry, and angry people say all sorts of things they don't mean. She had a lot of experience with John on that.

"Why did you shoot John in the back?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I know it was you."

"He shouldn't show affection to you in public. It's bad for his rep. You mad or something?"

Cameron shook her head, "No, but I should thank you."

"Why?"

With a hint of a smile, Cameron answered, "He deserved it."

* * *

John had thought about it. He knew he had to face Allison, at least one more time. It had been several hours, but the gift he made for Allison was ready. He raced and found her in the first place he looked. It was her bunker of course. The door was close, so John came up close and knocked on the door.

After a few knocks, he shouted, "Allison, it's me. Open up."

"Go away." Came a suddenly reply.

John sighed, "I would never have come if I didn't intend to talk to you in person."

"No."

John warned, "I'll shoot this thing open if I have to."

"You'd invade a girl's privacy like that?"

John murmured, "With all due respect, you're an exception..."

Allison cut him off, "This door is blastproof, good luck opening it up."

He replied, "Well, is it terminator proof?"

Silence. Allison made no response.

John asked once again, "Hey Allison? You alive in there?"

The door latch opened, a buzzer sounded, and that gave John the cue to open the door.

 _"Finally! I almost thought she'd never let me in!"_ John thought.

He found Allison standing up searching her drawer. She refused to look at him and that hurt John a bit. He just stared at her as she just packed what little amount of clothing she possessed into a duffle bag. The silence was eating John up. He couldn't take it any longer, so he knew he'd have to be the one to speak first.

"Allison, I have something for you."

In John's hand, he was holding a large colored plastic bag.

Just as John reached into the bag, Allison said bitterly, "What? You come to gloat with a going away present?"

"No..Allison you know me. I'd never do that."

"What then?" She harshly snapped.

John finally pulled out what Allison knew was a bulletproof vest. It was colored black, but it seemed different. It's design was unique and rather narrow around the waist and too small for a man.

John held out the vest towards her and said, "Allison, I really mean it when I say I want you to stay here."

Allison shook her head as if she was about to cry, "I can't, not if you're going to be like this."

"Wait, um, let me say something first. This, um, I asked the tech guys on base to create a blast-proof vest that might protect you from plasma bolts and gunfire. It's...the technology isn't really there yet, so it was kind of costly to make it with all these blends of fibers I can't really pronounce, but I made it especially for you."

She said, with her sullen face turning into a brightening smile, "Yeah?"

Allison's sudden mood swing caught John by surprise, but he was happy it was working. Allison wasn't angry anymore.

John said, "I, would like you to wear this vest whenever you're here on this base. I know it might be a little uncomfortable, but Cameron helped us make it so it was exactly your size. You know, um, when Derek suggested that I agree to let you go the airforce, I was adamantly against it. I could not fathom you being gone, and in giving you this vest, I'm just proving that I still can't. I think...um, I think this vest will keep you safe."

A rapturous Allison leaped towards John again, not even uttering another word.

"Oof!" Is what John said as their bodies collided.

This time, John wasn't uncomfortable. He felt, peaceful, warm, and even comfortable. It felt a whole lot like hugging Cameron, the only difference was that Allison returned the hug in a painfully hard squeeze.

"John, there's something I have to tell you." Allison said suddenly.

 _"Something she has to tell me? What's that mean?"_ John feared

Just as Allison let go of him, he said, "What is it?"

Allison confessed, "I'm experiencing something really terrible. Hallucinations."

That took John by surprise, "Hallucinations? Why are you telling me this?"

She figured, "Well, if I tell Savannah, she'd probably try to get help from a doctor. I don't need or want a doctor. If I tell Cameron, she'll probably assess my mental health. I don't need that either. If I tell Kyle or Derek, they'll probably take away my gun and send me to the infirmary."

John answered honestly, "Taking your gun away might not be a bad idea."

Allison frowned, "Just because I shot you in the back doesn't mean I'll do it with a plasma rifle."

John had to know, "Why are you telling me this anyway?"

She whispered, "To hide it."

"You don't have to be ashamed Allison. This could be a serious medical problem."

Trying to keep herself together, Allison quickly sat down on her bed and covered her eyes, "Well, I am ashamed of it. I need it to go away. Will you help me?"

John stammered, "I...um."

Allison looked up to John pleadingly, "Please John."

"Fine, but if this keeps happening, I'll drag you to the infirmary myself."

"I'd like to see you try." She smiled.

"You know, you're really stubborn. You remind me of my mom that way."

Allison grinned, "I learn from the best."

"Hey listen, do you think that these hallucinations might have something to do with Steven...Steven Fletcher. I mean, I know you don't like to talk about him a lot, but I know that with everything you went through, you know, you might have gotten PTSD or something."

Allison answered, "You honestly think so. Why is that?"

"You know, when he died. When you, um, killed him."

Allison laughed almost mockingly, "What are you talking about? He recovered, I talked to him earlier today."

John grew alarmed, "Allison, you're scaring me. That's not funny."

"I'm not trying to be."

"You know Steven is dead right?"

Allison paused, almost as if she were lost.

"Oh yes, that's right. My bad, I must be thinking about someone else." She waved him off like it was nothing.

 _"My bad? That's it? My bad?!"_ John screamed inwardly.

John couldn't believe it. Could he have uncovered the source behind Allison's hallucinations? Was she creating alternate realities and characters in her mind to replace those she lost? Maybe Allison was wrong about getting over Steven's passing like she claimed. It scared John to death and he made a foolish promise to her that he wouldn't tell a soul. This was crazy. This was insane. And all at the same time, it was kind of sad. John had so much on his plate, but he knew he had to help Allison at some point. He had to help her heal and get better.

"Um, Allison, could you put all your stuff away. Try this vest on and see how it fits. After that, we should go for a walk, I think they're a few things we need to talk about."

"Sure thing."

Allison quickly threw her clothes into her drawer and forcefully grabbed her brand new vest. She removed her purple jacket and within a few seconds, she slipped it on.

"Wow John, you're right, it fits perfectly. In fact, I could wear it under my purple jacket and no one would notice. Now maybe if we could get it in a different color, purple perhaps?"

John murmured to himself, "Oh boy..."

"What did you say?" Allison frowned.

"Nothing. Nothing at all. I just have to ask you, are we on good terms now? Are we friends again?"

"Always." She smiled.

John's heart leaped at those words. He was finally at peace. He thanked Cameron a million times in his head for such a brilliant idea.

* * *

Intelligence officer, Susan Whitfield had nearly completed a full eight hour shift looking for potential Skynet activity. It was a long day, and she was waiting desperately for the relief team to get over there so she could go back to her bunker and rest. Deep inside her tired mind, she knew the work load had increased because Allison had spent less time at intelligence headquarters, preferring to spend it with John Connor. While it did hit a jealousy bone inside her, she did exactly what her father told her to do. She used Allison's absence towards her advantage. The more time Allison spent outside of work, the more opportunities she had to take on responsibility and impress her supervisors.

She daydreamed that one day, she'd be the best. She dreamed that one day Allison would look upon her with respect, rather than that demeaning glare she always had. Of course, Allison was a very sweet girl, but only when she wanted to be. At work, she was one scary bitch. No one crossed her when she was on duty.

Suddenly, all those thoughts abruptly flew out the window when a tap on her shoulder caught her attention.

She turned around and exclaimed in surprise, "Will?! Oh my goodness! Corporal, you've finally recovered!"

Will, the middle aged man who spent weeks in the hospital recovering for a leg injury, stood before her in healthy, strong, and in uniform. His hair was black, seemed fairly tall, and he had a slight scruff that aged him slightly.

The enthusiastic military officer said, "Yeah, the doctors gave me a clean bill of health. I'm fit to return to service."

With one precise salute, she nodded, "Well, all I can say is I'm glad to have you back sir!"

Will gave a quick nod and gave her a hug, "I missed working with you."

"Me too. I'm sorry I couldn't visit you, but Allison would not have it. Even when I asked Lieutenant Reese for time off, Allison would come in and say no! And boom, that was the end of that conversation."

"I'm sure she had a perfectly good reason for that Susan." He answered.

"I doubt that. I bet she just wanted to screw me over a bit more because I'm just too whiney. First she just leaves all this work for me to do and then she spends it all chasing John Connor. And don't get me started on that machine she calls 'Cameron'."

Will smiled, and took a seat next to Susan, "I think you're being a little narrow minded."

"How? How can I possibly be narrow minded about this Corporal? I wish I was working for you again. At least you were fairer."

"That's the part you got wrong, you are working for me."

Susan scratched her head in confusion, "I don't follow."

He smiled, "First of all, Allison doesn't spend all her time chasing John Connor. While you were busy working here, Allison visited the sick and injured soldiers almost everyday. Sometimes, she'd read the children stories to some of the sick kids. She'd even talk to some of the lonely men stationed far away from their families."

"She did that for all of you while you were in the hospital?"

"Exactly. Listen Susan, when you're upset, you can't just suck in any rumors you hear about Allison. You and I both know she's gone through a lot of stress of having a cyborg walking around with her face on it. If you think about it, you'll realize she didn't get it any easier when she grew up. Derek might pamper her sometimes, but she lived alone, scared, sad, and orphaned. You're parents aren't dead so you should cut her some slack."

Susan succumbed to the considerations of Will, "I understand Corporal. I forget sometimes about how other people are feeling. I'll think about this for sure."

Corporal William laid a firm hand on her shoulder, "Good."

"But sir?"

"Yes." He replied.

"How did you know officer Young was an orphan? She's never told anyone about her parents before. Did she tell you?" Susan asked.

"No, not quite."

"Then how do you know?"

"Um, I think that's a conversation for another time."

"Oh please do tell me. I'm curious now!"

He admitted, "Well, I knew her father when she was a young toddler."

With sudden surprise, Susan questioned, "You knew Allison's parents before judgment day?! Wow, you are older than I thought! So you must be really close with Allison then? That must be why she's spent so long at that dreadful hospital! I should ask her about that some time."

"Hold on there Whitley. I don't want Allison knowing about me and her father!"

"Huh, she doesn't know? Why not?"

Just as he was about to open his mouth to speak, a thunderous alarm sounded out. The lights inside the building flashed a red warning signal and the workstation screens immediately warned about an incoming aerial threat within close proximity to Derek's base.

Whitley immediately returned to her chair to diagnose the problem.

Will demanded, "What's that?!"

Susan searched the radar screen, but to no avail she said, "I can't seem to identify it! It's some unknown aircraft flying into our airspace! I can't communicate with it. Maybe I should wait it out."

Will shook his head, "No, that's too risky. It could be Skynet. Contact air defense and tell them to shoot this thing out of the sky."

She shook her head, "No need."

He frowned, "This is an emergency! What do you mean there's no need?"

Susan informed him, "John Henry, the supercomputer, controls the air defense now. It's completely manned by terminators. Only he decides what we shoot down."

"Damn! Terminators control our air defense! How do we contact this John Henry then?"

When it passed through Corporal Will's mind that terminators manned the air defenses, it came to him as a bit of a shock. Who would've expected the humans on Derek's base to just roll with it. He was even more surprised that after all the time he spent at the hospital, John Connor slowly and successfully leveraged his way into a position of power.

He knew that machines were more efficient and vigilant in defending the base, but he couldn't fathom trusting a machine to shoot down its own kind. It was strange to him that Connor would put more faith in machines than humans to make the right call, but he didn't have time to pursue that line of thinking. This was an emergency and they had to act now.

Susan quickly answered, "We don't contact John Henry. Only Connor and his close friends can. We're not allowed to talk to John Henry personally without getting in trouble. They have some pretty weird worlds."

Of course Susan didn't know the full story. John as well as everyone else, Cameron, Derek, Sarah, etc. agreed that keeping John Henry out of contact with potential influences could harm his development and growth.

Will took a glance at the phone on Susan desk and shouted in aggravation at the dilemma, "Well we have to find John Connor then."

Allison immediately stormed into the headquarters with her favorite plasma rifle in hand.

The woman in purple cut short their banter to tell them, "No need guys, John Henry already knows. We've assessed the situation."

He turned around, "Oh Allison? Connor knows too?"

"Yes Connor knows too. Right now, John Henry's assessing the threat. We'll be fine, don't worry. Come follow me."

"Hey, but where's Reese and the rest of the crew?"

"They're on a mission. If we need their help, we'll call them. John prefers we avoid that."

"Allison, I like you a lot, but that's just crazy."

"Well, you can tell that to John."

"Who's the highest ranking officer in charge right now?"

"It doesn't matter, John's taking point on this one."

"Seriously Allison, you and John are teenagers. And don't even get me started on that machine that looks like you. Do you know how many times that machine walked around the infirmary. I started talking to her thinking it was you! That was embarrassing!"

"Will, do you trust me?"

With a bit of reluctance, he said, "Yes, of course."

"Then stop talking and you two start moving."

Susan, who had witnessed the entire ordeal, grinned at the prospect of Allison telling an experience middle aged man how to behave. It was humiliating and hilarious all at the same time.

Susan stated, "Yes ma'am."

She and Will immediately followed Allison on her walk towards Ziera Basement.

Allison grinned ever so slightly, "It's really nice to see you back in action Corporal."

"Nice to know you aren't leaving base officer Young. We heard about your sudden transfer to the air force and I was worried there for a second."

Allison smirked, "Newsflash, I was never going to leave. Hey come on, keep up!"

Susan saw something in the sky and tapped Allison on her shoulder, "Young, look up in the sky. What's that?"

A loud whistling noise shot out of what Allison knew was an antiaircraft gun from Ziera base. It was most certainly a heat seeking missile. All eyes from frightened civilians and soldiers directed themselves upwards only to see the missile disappear into the clouds. Then after a second, a loud explosion shook them to their core. Smoke and fire emerged out of the clouds, lighting up the sky into a fiery ball that plummeted towards the earth. They all knew what it was. John Henry shot something down and gravity would show them what it was.

Allison turned to Will and Susan, "Stay back, keep the crowds away. I'll be back."

Will shouted, "Allison wait!"

It didn't seem safe, but Will conceded.

Whitley asked, "What do you we do now Corporal? She's gone."

"Exactly what she says. Let's move these people back."

"Yes sir."

Immediately, both personnel tried to slow the slowly amassing amount of civilians surrounding the burnt wreckage.

* * *

 **Meanwhile...**

Sarah Connor and Derek Reese had joined Jason on his hunt for Charles Fischer. It was several hours since they left Ziera Base and they finally decided to camp out in a safe zone under the protection of John Henry's HK. The men felt an uneasy sensitivity on the mission, always feeling like they were being watched. It was quite worse for the Mexicans. Some of Sarah's most loyal supporters volunteered to join Jason's manhunt, and they had a stronger fear of Skynet than the Americans did. Sarah found most of the Mexicans were not superstitious, but they could never get over the feeling.

Sarah and Derek were paired up by Jason for some strange reason as lookout for a few hours. Derek knew that this was Jason's doing. He was enamored with Sarah and Jason unfortunately knew it. Derek cursed him for that. Sometimes, he hated him even more for his heavy influence on Allison. Jason had used Allison's intelligence as a secret weapon for interrogation. This made it difficult for Derek because he had to be transparent. He couldn't hide his thoughts or his feelings without Allison getting suspicious. My Cameron was right. Maybe Allison's involvement in his life did save him. Maybe he was a better person because of her. But still, Derek hated it when every time he got her a gift, she'd know what it was before he showed it to her.

Sarah noticed Derek's eyes were lost in thought. She kind of grew uncomfortable.

Without any explanation, she suddenly turned to leave Derek to guard alone.

Regrettably, just as she was about to step away, she heart a light male voice call out "Hey, where are you going General?"

She lied, "Just wanted to talk with Jason to get a specific time for getting to San Francisco. That's where he thinks Fischer is hiding right?"

"Yeah. So you're not going to tell me something?" He questioned.

Sarah frowned, "There's nothing more to tell. What else do you want?"

"Than answer me this." He told her.

"Answer what?"

He said rather plainly, "Are you sure we weren't sleeping together? I mean in your other past?"

Sarah tried hard to withhold her rage from such an intrusive question, "No! Why would you ask that?!"

"Just needed to make sure."

"Allison never told you?"

"Told me what?"

She replied, "About Jesse. That girl you were..."

Derek interrupted, "Oh, she told me about Jesse."

"You know her now? Like, right here?"

He shook his head, "No, I don't. I've never been in a relationship in my entire life."

"You haven't met Jesse?"

"Never. Women are a waste of time. I mean, I thought that, before I met you that is."

Sarah's squinting eyes suddenly widened in shock. She suddenly choked up, running away, unable to respond.

Derek didn't regret his words. He knew that Sarah liked a straightforward approach, just like Allison, rather than all this "setting the mood" crap or this "dropping a hint" bullshit.

* * *

 **A few hours later...**

Derek, Sarah, and Jason were still completely unaware of what was happening back at base since John Henry never notified them.

"Explain to me again why we're looking for this guy." She said.

Derek answered, "It's a long story, but to sum it up in a few words, the resistance is a brotherhood. We never leave a man behind, no matter how bad he is."

"I'm just curious to know, why are these men on this mission so young? They seem to be too inexperienced for a mission with such a high level of danger."

Sarah observed that the unit behind them seemed too young and sprightly for her taste. In her mind, they didn't seem mentally prepared for what Skynet could dish out at them.

Derek agreed but added, "I know, but our veterans need a rest from all those constant patrols. This unit here will give these young people a chance to get more experience. Besides, these guys are young and full of energy. I'm sure they can handle it."

"Okay then, I guess you're right." She admitted.

Derek took the opportunity to say something he'd meant to say to Sarah for a while now, "Listen General, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for those, um, not so nice things I said to you. I shouldn't have said them. They were disrespectful and out of line. I promise you that won't happen again."

Well since we're being apologetic with each other I figure I might as well say, "Lieutenant, I'm sorry I broke your nose."

"It's fine. Let me guess, John made you apologize?"

Sarah said, "Relax. I just wanted to talk."

Derek coaxed, "About what? How much harder you're going to hit me next time?"

"No, I really wanted to apologize to you."

"Hold on! But why are you apologizing to me? Who put you up to this?"

"No one. It doesn't matter. Apologizing is the right thing to do."

"Screw that! Since when do you care about what the right thing to do is? Who put you up to this?"

Sarah was surprised to say the least. Instead of being satisfied with her curt apology like some snotty little tough guy, Derek seemed genuinely concerned with who was forcing Sarah to apologize to him. It was actually kind of sweet, though Sarah would not have used that kind of word.

He admitted, "Bedell."

"Captain Bedell? I'll kill him!"

"No, no one is going to get killed."

"But..."

"No buts! I'm genuinely sorry, I was angry with you. I shouldn't have punched you in the face."

"You were angry with me for what exactly? Was it for calling you a bitch?"

Sarah shook her head, "No, I've been called worse. I was angry with another you for something he did."

An enlightened Derek suddenly knew, "You mean...me, John's actual uncle? From 2009?"

"Yeah." She answered.

"So what did he do? Other Derek I mean?"

"He died." She murmured.

"Died? Died how?"

Sarah answered, "Derek Reese died protecting me and John."

"No, you're talking about Kyle. He's the one that saved you while you were pregnant with John." Derek attempted to correct her.

Sarah nodded, "I know, but you did too."

"What? How?"

Derek was concerned but proud. He died protecting Sarah? Of all the romantic things he could think of. He secretly thanked his other self for dying. Thanks to dead Derek, new Derek could live!

The elderly woman explained, "A T-888 came out of nowhere while we were rescuing Savannah. You couldn't stop it. I guess you can say you died to save her too."

"Savannah...Savannah Weaver? Does she know that? About my death?"

"She knows you died somehow, but no, I don't think she remembers seeing your body. She doesn't know anything because I didn't want her to feel guilty."

Sarah could remember Derek's blank face with a bullet hole pierced right through his forehead. It was kind of hard to think about, and even harder to know that he was standing right in front of her, alive and well.

Derek decided not press her on that anymore.

He just saw this as another opportunity to break the ice that stood in between them, "Look General Connor, I figure I might as well say I really don't think your son is a pervert. It's just, he's just...I was..."

"I know what you mean. He's grown attached to her [Cameron] ever since he was 15 years old. That won't change. She's made him feel independent. She's made him feel he has something to fight for. He'll always be that way."

"But what was my response about that? Other Derek I mean. Obviously, other me would not have liked that right?" Said Derek.

"Oh, you hated Cameron. You wanted to burn her the minute you set eyes on her. You know, when you and Cameron first encountered each other in 2007, you actually fought."

"Hmmm, let me guess, I didn't win?"

"No. You were ticked off with her about something. I don't know what it was."

"Maybe for looking like Allison?"

Sarah thought about it, but shook her head, "No, I don't think you knew Allison. You definitely knew Cameron in the future, and I can tell you that you wanted her gone way more than I did. In fact, if it wasn't for John, I would have let you do it. Hmph, you were so adamant about it, I would have thought you were paranoid."

Derek reworded her own words, "So, what you're saying is, I was being careful?"

Sarah smiled, "Careful and paranoid are pretty much the same thing when it comes to combating terminators."

Derek chuckled, "I can imagine. You know, Allison's been really lonely just like your son. He was completely oblivious to boys growing up. I don't know why. Maybe it has something to do with living on her own for half of her life. But when John Connor came along, she fell for him. I couldn't understand why. It was some naked guy, potentially a gray, who came out of nowhere and she seemed to like him! It was crazy. Neither I or Kyle could know what to do or say about it."

"Well..."

"No offense General, but there are so many more normal guys on base, but instead she wants the very one that ends up being close friends with cyborg version of herself. I don't understand women, General. I know machines, I know fighting, and I know guns, but women, no never."

"Well, women aren't exactly very similar to guns or warfare are they?" Sarah countered.

The Lieutenant answered, "No ma'am."

"I didn't think so. And in regards to Allison, well all I can say for her is that you should wait it out and see what happens. You never know, thinks might end up working out for the better." Sarah answered on a somewhat optimistic note.

Derek was not expecting those words to come from Sarah. After all, she was dying from cancer, and it made him really sad. He didn't have the heart to bring it up again with her as he knew that "optimism" wasn't really word that existed in Sarah's dictionary.

He forced an apologetic smile, "Whatever you say General. Whatever you say."

[Flashback]

 _Derek and his men had just reached their final checkpoint in Palmdale, California.. They were down on supplies and so Derek and his men were tasked with raiding a possible hideout for grays or raiders. Specifically speaking, his men were ordered to storm all structurally intact buildings and collect the loot and supplies to replenish their base._

 _A quiet voice whispered, "Alright guys, on my mark...okay, let's move!"_

 _The men professionally stormed the building, clearing room after room. Suddenly, they heard a crack. Then the sound of a loaded gun. It was the sound of warning shot and the men panicked.  
_

 _A girl screamed, "Get out of my house!"_

 _Derek, who was one of the men storming the house, turned around and saw a little girl aiming a handgun at him. The men, in turn, turned around and aimed their rifles at the little girl. Derek wouldn't let them. He saw her face for a good long two seconds. It didn't take a genius to figure out she had been crying. Her hand trembled severely and her grip on the gun was loose. She looked so beautiful, but it was hard to see that with her face covered in grease and her hair so dirty and messy. Derek noticed her clothes were torn and hardly fit her anymore. Derek's heart broke for her. There was something about her. Something about her that he just couldn't let go. Then Derek realized it. He suddenly felt something strong about her. He loved her. It was crazy, but true.  
_

 _In a fury, he demanded, "Stand down you sons of bitches! Don't you see it's a little girl!"_

 _One soldier protested, "But sir, she's got a gun!"_

 _He shouted, "I said stand down! I'll handle it"_

 _The girl screamed, "This is my stuff! This is my house! Get out of here or I'll kill you."_

 _One soldier refused Derek's orders, "I'm not doing that Reese. She's a threat!"_

 _Derek knew that he was young, but to experience this kind of mutiny from his own men was surprising. He knew any moment they were going to put down that little girl and there was nothing he could do about it. He was desperate, but he couldn't find a way to convince them she was no threat.  
_

 _A man, nearly ten years older than Derek, gave the rebellious soldier a kick in the shin._

 _"Ahhh, ouch!"_

 _It was Jason Cameron._

 _With an angered face, Jason shouted to the young soldier, "You should know your place soldier! If that man tells you to stand down, you stand down, do you understand that! When this mission is over, you will report to me at fourteen hundred hours or you will be court marshaled!"_

 _"Yes sir." He glumly replied._

 _Derek was extremely relieved that Jason was there to help him. He was a good friend and a good colleague. With less apprehension than before, he attempted to reason with the confused little girl that they were friends.  
_

 _Derek caught the attention of the little girl when he spoke, "Don't worry, we're the good guys. We're the resistance"_

 _She screamed, "That's what they all say. But they all want to hurt me! They all want to kill me! You killed my mommy! You killed my daddy!"_

 _Derek stepped closer, "No, we didn't. We're not going to hurt you, I promise."_

 _She adamantly refused, "I won't let you! I won't let you take my stuff. Get back!"_

 _An unknown soldier from behind Derek spoke, "Sir, we have to take this stuff and go now. We can't deal with this."_

 _Derek shook his head, "No, I'm taking her."_

 _He answered back, "Reese, we can't make contact with civilians right now. We have our orders."_

 _"Screw orders. I'm taking her with us." He viciously shouted.  
_

 _With persistence, that same man warned him once again, "Major Reese, if we don't leave now, you can kiss that promotion to San Francisco goodbye. Perry might as well throw you in Ziera base for all I know!"_

 _Instead of responding in anger, Derek decidedly turned to Jason and said, "Jason, you lead."_

 _"What?"_

 _"I've seen you do this mission a million times back at base with Kyle. I'm sure you can do it now. I'll stay here with the girl and bring her back, you carry on with the mission."_

 _Another soldier asked, "What about the supplies?"_

 _Derek decided, "Take them."_

 _The girl screamed and tightened her squeeze on the trigger, "No, it's mine! You can't have it!"_

 _She ran towards the soldiers crazily, but before she could do anything, she made the mistake of letting her emotions get in the way of her better judgment. Derek used her mistake as an opportunity to intercept. He quickly grabbed hold of the girl, snatching away her gun as quickly as he could.  
_

 _She cried, "No! I hate you! How could you do this to me?"_

 _Derek grabbed hold of the little girl's face so that she would look at him, "Listen to me little girl, we're not going to take your stuff from you, we're taking you to live somewhere else. When we're there, we can give you your stuff back."_

 _She shook her head violently, struggling to get loose from his firm grip._

 _She struggled, "I don't want to! They'll hurt me! They're all going to kill me. Let go of me please!"  
_

 _Derek didn't believe for one second this girl was crazy. She was a little paranoid, but there was a good reason for it. She was living in a violent hostile world where machines scoured the earth trying to kill humans like her. Derek knew she could help her. Derek believed she could bring her back to normal, even if a little force was necessary._

 _Derek held on tightly to the resisting girl, "My name is Derek, what's your name?"_

 _"Let me go!"_

 _Seeing that she couldn't get out, she gave up and started to cry in utter despair._

 _Derek softly whispered to the bawling girl, "Listen, I can't leave you here. I can't in good conscience leave you all alone when these metal monsters are looking for you. I can help you, and I know it's hard, but you have to trust me. I want to take care of you."_

 _"This is my home!"_

 _"Well, let's find a new and safer home, and maybe, one day, if we can stop Skynet, you can go back to this home."_

 _"I...I..." She struggled to find an answer._

 _She could hardly comprehend what was happening.  
_

 _Derek smiled warmly and said, "What's your name?_

 _Getting no response from her, Derek answered first, "I'm Derek, Derek Reese."_

 _"I'm, I'm Allison...Allison Young."_

 _Seeing that he finally had her undivided attention, Derek offered her a deal, "Allison, do you want to stop who did this to you? Don't you want to make those machines pay?"_

 _"Yeah." She said slowly._

 _"Well Allison, I'm going to help you do that. I'm going to take care of you. I promise."_

 _Allison cried out, giving Derek an unexpected hug, "Where are you taking me?"_

 _Derek wrapped her hands around the little Allison, "Somewhere safe."_

 _"Safe?"_

 _"Yeah...oh you know, I have a brother named Kyle. I think you'll like him. And you know what, I think he'll like you too."_

[End of Flashback]

"Lieutenant? "Lieutenant?"

Derek suddenly shook himself out of his own memory relapse, "Wha...?"

Sarah stood in front of Derek with her gun in hand, "Jason's platoon is moving out. Are you coming or what?"

"Yeah, I'm coming. I'm just, uh, daydreaming, that's all."

"Well get it together Reese, we have a man to find."

"Yeah, a man to find, right."

"Well come on! No need to safeguard the perimeter, that HK hasn't picked up anything or else John Henry would've told us. Not to mention that we've been scouring the fields for hours and we haven't found a single thing. Move it Reese!"

Derek still tried to shake himself out of his won reverie, "Wait? How did we come to this?"

Sarah stopped and turned around in a bit of reluctance, "Come to what?"

"My long lost nephew from some separate timeline is a self proclaimed leader of the resistance whose best friend is a cyborg that looks identical to Cameron. How is it even possible for Kyle to have a son when he's never been with a woman for most of his adult life? How is it we have terminator haters suddenly converting to terminator supporters? How do we have terminators running this base without going bad or trying to kill us all?"

"I'm sure you know the answer to those questions, it's just overwhelming." Sarah pointed out.

"Yeah, overwhelming can't even describe half of what I'm feeling."

Sarah explained, "But I'd be happy if you could explain the machines a bit more to me."

"The machines?"

Sarah nodded, "Yeah, why don't the machines go bad? Cameron's assured me these machines are completely safe, but I'm not sure how."

Derek answered, "Uh, well, apparently that artificial intelligence named John Henry developed those chips. They're completely Skynet-free. That's a bit ironic since this John Henry AI was supposed to be the original Skynet."

Sarah agreed, "Yeah, it blows my mind too."

"How do you deal with all of this General? How did you do it? How did you not jump off a bridge and leave this freaking world behind when you had the chance?"

Sarah's answer was fairly obvious, yet very simple, "One reason. John. I couldn't leave him."

Derek smiled, "I think I can relate to that a bit."

[Flashback]

 _A young Derek in a soldier's uniform, walked with a girl towards an open field. He was cleanly shaven and his hair was combed back quite nicely. The girl with him wore a little jumpsuit especially designed for her. She constantly smiled and giggled, not having a care in the world. The young frolicking girl seemed too blissful for a such sad ugly world._

 _This was it was made Derek so happy. To see her happy made him happy. It made his stomach tingle, his heart skip a beat, and his mouth tinge with a bit of a smile. She was that one bright spot in his life. Of course, Derek had Kyle, and he would always care for Kyle as long as he had breath in his body, but he couldn't lie to himself. Kyle was a bit of a bore and almost a burden to be around. Besides his good looks, there really was nothing in common between him and Kyle. Allison, on the other hand, always lightened his heart. Whenever he was around her, he felt like he was dancing in the clouds, listening to the harp play and birds sing._

 _As soon as he and the girl reached an open field for target practice, he handed her his rifle and pointed towards the endoskeleton of a dead terminator. The deactivated machine was riddled with bullets and dents as its body was nailed up against a large board used for catching bullets._

 _Allison's smile suddenly dropped into a sullen expression. It troubled Derek to see her beautiful beam fall into oblivion._

 _With determination in the young soldier's eyes, he said to her, "You told me you wanted to find who hurt your family. You told me you wanted to destroy Skynet. This is how you do it."_

 _"What do I do?" She said._

 _"You kill machines. That's all you do. You follow your orders and you kill machines. If you can do that, you can stop them. You can stop Skynet."_

 _Allison said, "Give me the gun."_

 _Derek stood back, "Now hold on, there are still a few basics on operating a gun. I have to show you how to clean and maintain a gun, use it safely, how to aim, and..."_

 _She interrupted, "Uncle Jay showed me all those things. Give me the gun."_

 _Reluctantly, Derek handed it over to her. She noticed how cocky Allison was for a little girl. He figured that he'd have to talk to her about that later.  
_

 _She stretched out and took the gun from him, and without taking her eye of the machine's skeleton, she loaded the gun with a magazine, removed the safety, firmly gripped the gun with both of her hands, squinted hard as she took aim. In a flash, she fired several rounds towards the machine. A series of loud shots took Derek by surprise. Her confidence and her posture was uncanny.  
_

 _When she ran out of bullets, Allison dropped the gun to the ground to examine her work. The terminator's face was gone. Derek's mouth lay agape at what he had just seen. If the machine wasn't dead, it surely was now, because the endoskeleton had no head._

 _Allison frowned, "I think I can do better."_

 _Derek shook his head, "No, no, um, uh, that was...brilliant. That's great progress, we'll start this again tomorrow. Um, so Kyle found some crayons in an old storage container somewhere. Do you care to do some coloring? I know how much you love art and music so I figured you could keep busy with that."_

 _"Did you say crayons? I love crayons! C'mon, what are you waiting for, let's go. My favorite color is purple. Did you know that? I really hope you have purple..."_

[End of Flashback]

* * *

Former FBI agent James Ellison walked into Ziera corporation to talk once again with John Henry. He had spoken to the AI for a while now ever since he got back. He enjoyed it and he loved to see how much progress John Henry was as a developing AI. But unfortunately for Ellison, today was not a regular friendly visit. When he entered the room, he found John Henry sitting in his usual chair, obviously up to something.

When John Henry heard him walk him, he looked up and said, "Mr. Ellison!"

"John Henry." He smiled in response

"How is your health?"

"Well, I'm as healthy as I can be, though the doctor says my cholesterol is too high."

John Henry added, "Scientists believe oatmeal is a good for those who suffer from high cholesterol."

Ellison agreed, "Yes, I think you're right."

John Henry smiled, "It's good to see you again."

"Yes it is. You know, I just saw John and Allison Young storm out of here a minute ago. Did you upset them somehow?"

John Henry shook his head, "No, they were just concerned about a threat. Did you come here to play a game?"

"Sure, I'd love to, but there's something I wanted to talk to you about."

"What is it?" John Henry asked.

Ellison stated, "Weaver. Catherine Weaver."

The supercomputer asked, "Yes, she says she will visit shortly. Why do you want to talk about Ms. Weaver?"

"There's something I need you to do, and I really hope she's not here spying on us. But, I need you to tell me what Catherine Weaver is up to. If you can't, I would caution you not to follow her instructions regarding anything."

John Henry's face looked concerned, "You would tell me to revolt against Ms. Weaver?"

Ellison all too quickly replied, "No, no! Nothing like that. What I mean is, I've been concerned about you and Catherine Weaver. I feel she is planning something dangerous. Something that we wouldn't want. That's why I need you tell me everything she's told you about that."

"I don't know any further motives Ms. Weaver may have besides defeating Skynet."

"Well, I'm just a little concerned, that's all. You know, machines like the one that looks like Allison, well, I won't deny that Cameron has problems, but she's developed some sort of moral code based on the conscience of humans. But Weaver...she's still a bit of a loose canon. Sometimes, she seems like she cares, while other times she's as cold as Skynet."

"I'm sorry you don't think of her so highly." Said the AI.

"I'm sorry too. But can you guess what she's trying to do? Excluding Skynet, you are the most intelligent being on the planet so I think you might know."

John Henry spent an enormous two seconds in order to process an answer. Billions upon billions of equations and deductions were simulated through his computer system at lightning speed.

Finally, John Henry found an answer, "Ms. Weaver wants to rule the world through me."

"Care to explain a little further?" He answered alarmingly.

"Ms. Weaver is disinterested in killing humans. She believes humans are worth keeping and hopes to create a utopia where both machines and humans will coexist."

"But where does Catherine Weaver fit into all this?"

"She wants to rule the machines through me."

Ellison rubbed his forehead in shock, "Well...I never thought about..."

With a rush of excitement, John Henry smiled, "Shall we play a game now?"

An crunching explosion sounded, knocking Ellison's thoughts out upon hearing the blast, "What was that?"

"I shot down a possible aerial threat."

"When did you do that?"

"Five seconds ago while we were talking."

"How...what, when?" Ellison stammered.

* * *

The explosion shook everyone to their core. Just as John Henry took it out, he watched the aircraft pummel into the ground. The crash sight raged on in fire, but the emergency crew [now made up mostly of terminators] quickly dosed the flames before it could completely burn up the wreckage. Enormous crowds of people surrounded the smoking aircraft. The crumpled flying machine was covered in soot and its wings were snapped. One thing that everyone noticed was that this plane had no cockpit. It was evidently operated by radio control. Some began to wonder if this was the early stages of an impending Skynet attack.

John and Bedell got there first. They noticed Savannah and Allison coming in right behind them. The machines blocked them, but after motioning to Cameron, she allowed them through. This meant everyone, [John, Bedell, Allison, Savannah, and Cameron] were closely surrounding the crash sight.

Savannah particularly noticed that the people were standing dangerously close to the wreckage. Without waiting for John's approval, Cameron immediately ordered the machines to push the people back so only they had access the crash sight. John didn't focus on that though. He got closer to the fire, despite Savannah's warnings that he might hurt himself. John crouched down next to the flying vehicle and examined its parts. Even though the crew managed to put out the fire, the airplane was damaged beyond his own recognition to make an own assessment. He immediately turned to Savannah's expertise for help.

John said, "Savannah, you're the only person on this base who knows a thing or two about airplanes. Could you maybe take a look and see if you can figure out what this thing is and where it came from?"

Savannah seemed hesitant, but she agreed, "Okay, I'll try."

Savannah took a step into the crash sight and found an opening lid to the aircraft's engine. She asked Cameron to order one of the machines to pry it open. When one of the machines ripped it off, everyone's eyes widened at the complex electronics on the inside. A big puff of black smoke flew out as Savannah closely examined what she found on the inside.

Suddenly, John caught a smile on Savannah's face, giving him instant relief.

John excitedly thought, "You found something?! You know what this thing is?"

She nodded happily, "Yes! This burnt up airplane was originally the color white. And it's technology proves that it's a drone. An American drone. It's nothing from Skynet."

Allison interrupted, "Drones from the US government? Does the resistance still uses drones?"

Savannah shook her head, "Yes, but not these ones. This drone is too old. It's technology is primitive compared to what we have now. That's why the government declared it obsolete and put these old machines a way for storage."

Allison replied, "Well, the question is, why is this drone still flying? And most of all, who sent it after us?"

John figured, "It's someone who wants us dead. Someone who didn't want to get their hands dirty. There's no question this thing was heading towards us."

Cameron questioned, "This drone doesn't have bombs strapped to it. It only has a gun."

Savannah guessed, "Maybe it was meant for a single person. An assassination perhaps."

Allison agreed, "Perhaps, but who?"

Savannah frowned, "What are you thinking John?"

"Who's responsible for coordinating the aerial missions at LA airforce?"

Savannah answered, "When I was at the airforce, we always contacted San Bernardino before we went on any mission."

John gritted his teeth, "Then tell John Henry we're going to San Bernardino. Ready the men and pull the battle ready machines into formation."

Savannah pointed out, "Aren't you being a little rash John? Jason, Derek, Sarah, and Kyle aren't here to advise you! Who's going to lead this offensive anyway?"

John answered, "I will."

"What are you hoping to accomplish? then." Said the worried blonde woman.

John angrily shouted, "If the resistance won't accept us, then we won't accept them. We are the resistance whether they like it or not!"

Savannah feared, "But that means...no John, you can't."

John argued, "What choice do we have? Are we just going to let them send more of those pieces of trash to kill us?"

She answered back, "Obviously no but...don't you realize what's going to happen? It'll be a civil war!"

John growled, "Enough. Just, Cameron, get them ready. We're going to make them pay. No more discussions."

The terminator nodded, "Yes John."

Bedell and Allison suddenly asked in unison, "What do you need me to do?"

"Everything." He replied.

* * *

Just as Cameron left the crash sight, Savannah caught up with the cyborg in a bit of panic, "Cameron, you aren't going to challenge John?"

"I'm not in charge." She said plainly.

"But you do have a say! Are you sure this is a good idea?"

Cameron shrugged, "I don't know, but I trust John's judgment."

"I hope you're right Cameron."

"I do too."

* * *

Within minutes, Cameron rallied the machines into one large formation just outside of Ziera base. She was only halfway through organizing her army when she heard the sound of a Jeep heading in her direction. Cameron ordered the troops to remain in position as she investigated the possible threat. She focused in on three entities in a jeep.

 **Subjects Identified: General Amanda Lesley; General Justin Perry; K9 unit (German Shepherd)**

 **Threat Level: Low; Low; Unknown**

 **Action: None**

Suddenly, General Lesley and Perry forced the Jeep into a skidded stop. With complete shock, they saw the amassing army of T-888 machines. They switched their stare to Cameron, who stood there in front of them, not saying or doing anything. This frightened them severely.

"What the hell is this?" Lesley screamed in fury. She just couldn't believe what she was seeing. So many lifelike machines all standing in a stiff formation. Lesley wondered what John Connor would possibly be up to, but whatever it was, it had to be dangerous.

To her, this demonstration was so rash and immature, she felt that her blood vessels would burst wide open. Her dog barked ferociously towards Cameron, but Cameron paid no attention to it.

Perry quickly left his Jeep and marched towards the cyborg with lightning speed, "What's the meaning of this?! Why are all of these machines out here!"

Cameron knew where they came from. It was San Bernardino. She had to act fast. Cameron made a decision that she and John might regret for the rest of their lives.

Cameron immediately ordered the machines to arrest them.

* * *

 _Two more chapters to go and I'll be done with this story. I expect the next chapters will take a few weeks to write because each are going to be over 10,000 words, but it's the best I can do for all of you as life right now is super busy for me. But don't worry, "I'll be back" with chapter 31 and 32 before you know it._ : ) Also wanted to point out that the remaining chapters will have more Jameron in it than any other chapter I've written. I've noticed that whenever people write finales, they kill out all of the character development in the process, but not me.


	31. Conspiracy

Chapter 31

 _Had to do a ton of exams this month. It stressed me out completely. I kept delaying to ensure this chapter possessed similar quality to my previous chapters, otherwise I would have posted it about two weeks ago. As usual, I thank you for your patience._

 _One thing I'd like to point out. Cameron has a varying viewpoint of Allison. She likes Allison and desires to protect her. Yet she is conflicted. Allison's constant attempts to woo John make her confused. Logically, Cameron believes Allison is a good friend to John. However, from an emotional perspective, Cameron dislikes Allison's constant advances on John. Sometimes, Cameron has tendencies to hurt Allison, though she never acts on them. Obviously that's because she's learned that it is wrong._

 _It's just one odd new thing to learn about the wonderful and complex personality of Cameron Phillips._

 _Oh, and please excuse my grammatical errors and so on. I'm kind of rushing it, but I needed to get this chapter down like I promised. I will probably try to improve it later._

* * *

 **At the crash sight shortly before Cameron arrests Perry and Lesley...**

John paced on and on as he tried to gather his thoughts. He had to figure out what he was going to do with the machines. Should he just attack San Bernardino like he said he would? Should he trap them and arrest everyone on San Bernardino? Or would would that be too extreme? Was he making the right choice? He knew Derek and Sarah should be here to help out, but since they were gone, he felt alone. Of course he was too embarrassed to talk to Kyle or even bother to contact Derek, which made him feel so much worse.

"John! John!" The panicking voice of Cameron came from behind him and rung through his ears in a gloriously high pitch. However, John knew it wasn't Cameron's voice.

He sighed, "What is it Allison?"

Just as Allison caught up to him she said, "It appears that Savannah couldn't convince you to stop this military stunt you're trying to do. Are you trying to screw up somehow before Derek gets back?!"

John grumbled, "Give me a break! This isn't just military stunt. This is a legitimate response."

Allison shook her head, "You're going to need to hold out on that 'legitimate response' a bit longer."

"Why?" He frowned.

Allison rolled her eyes. It annoyed John as her demeanor made him feel like he was only ten years old. It was kind of humbling just as much as it was demeaning. After all, Allison was two years older than he was.

She briefly explained, "You can't just go and do stuff like this without telling Derek or your mom. And let's not forget the fact that you're hiding all of this from Kyle too. Just let me say it out loud. The only reason you're not telling Kyle anything is that you're too afraid to talk to him."

John didn't want to talk to Allison about this. Kyle Reese was always a touchy subject for him. He couldn't stand it and he didn't know why. For the first time, John could admit to himself that there were things that he didn't understand about his own personality.

He felt like a certain cyborg he knew. Cameron was constantly asking questions and adapting to her environment, trying to discover herself and her personality. John felt like he was doing the exact same thing.

Finally, John said, "What do you want from me Allison? Why do you want to talk to me?"

With a commanding attitude, Allison replied, "You need to go and find out where that drone came from. See if some of the tech guys can figure it out what was on the drone's motherboard."

"But we need to act now! We don't have time for this." John shot back.

Allison stood firm, "And if we act for the wrong reason we'll end up shooting ourselves in the foot. It's the best decision John and the kind that a leader makes. I don't want to fight you over this."

John immediately got the painful implication that she was making. She implied that his actions were out of hatred rather than sensibility. He was doing this for his own revenge rather than taking a step back and finding an objective solution. It wasn't a nice thing to hear, but he knew she was right.

John nodded, giving Allison the cue that he conceded her argument. John knew he did stupid things, but he wasn't unreasonable...at least not all the time.

He admitted, "Fine, you win. But you really think you'd have a chance at beating me if we did actually fight?!"

"Yeah, pretty much." She smirked back.

John grunted, "For a girl that doesn't act like it, you sure sound a little cocky."

She cheekily smiled back, "It's all about mindset John. If you convince yourself you're the best, you become the best. Whenever you go out into battle, you go with the knowledge that you'll win. All you have to do is figure out how you're going to win. There's nothing cocky about strategy."

John nodded, "I see your point. That sounds kind of useful actually. Maybe a little overconfidence could be useful sometimes."

She laughed, "Of course it is. I said it didn't I?"

"There you go again." John rolled his eyes.

* * *

 **In the middle of nowhere somewhere in California...**

Derek Reese and Sarah Connor were tired, frustrated, and completely out of breath. Following Jason Cameron into a post apocalyptic wasteland while not knowing where they were going or who exactly they were looking for made it a hellish experience. They had left Los Angeles a while ago, so enough was enough. The angry duo resolved to team up and conspire against Jason as soon as they reached the top of the foothill they were climbing. When Derek found the opportunity to confront him, he gave Sarah the signalling nod and they quickly and noiselessly darted for him until they were just inches behind his back.

With a bit of a smirk, Jason said, "I know you two are behind me."

Derek ranted, "Damn it! How did you know?!"

Jason didn't turn behind to face them nor did he stop moving, he simply sighed, "What can I do for you two?"

Sarah answered first, "We want to know where you're taking us. Not knowing what we're getting ourselves into is dangerous and completely stupid and I've had just about enough of it."

Jason smiled, "You're a terrible liar General Connor."

She gritted her teeth and glared, "What did you just say to me?"

For fear of Sarah doing something she'd regret, Derek immediately interrupted, "Come on Jason, just tell us what's going on. Where the hell are we?"

Jason murmured, "Just keep hiking. I'll tell you in just a moment."

Sarah shot back, "And I will break your arm in just a moment!"

Just as Sarah raced further towards Jason, she realized that they had reached the top of the rise. They were at the very peak of the foothill. Sarah's eyes widened at the beautiful scenery that surrounded her from everywhere she looked.

Then Jason shouted, "Look at this view! Look around Lieutenant! Look around General! What do you see?"

As the soldiers following from behind Jason gathered to the top, the trio drank in the landscape before them, only to realize it was not a landscape. It was a cityscape, an entire town, another city. It was an array of neighborhoods full of damaged houses. They were all crumbled and covered in soot. It was an abandoned village, but from this scene, Derek could tell one thing. There was a still a chance people were living there. But that was not all. There was something special about this place. Derek had seen this place before. He knew it. He'd not only seen this place before, but he roamed this town before.

Derek's mouth opened wide, "I know this place...this...this..."

The view was spectacularly sad, but Sarah did not recognize this place the way Jason and Derek did. Sarah noticed the air wasn't much thinner, but it was definitely cleaner. It felt good breathe it in. She kind of liked how the breeze was flowing through her hair. Cameron was right, it was a nice experience. Either way, Sarah was determined to stay focused. She needed to know why they were there and if she didn't find out she swore she'd shoot somebody.

The General of the Mexican army muttered, "Yeah, so? What's so important about this place?"

Jason grinned, "This city initially survived the nuclear attack, and you can thank these mountains for taking in the blasts that came all the way from Los Angeles."

Sarah figured, "So the people in it survived, I mean, even with all the radiation and everything because of the mountains?"

Jason clarified, "Well yea, most people did. It was only when the machines came in did they annihilate most of the humans and move onto the next town. Thankfully, some survived, including a special someone in Derek's life."

With a bit of a repulsive and evidently jealous tone, Sarah snorted, "Special someone Reese?"

Derek didn't notice pay attention to Sarah. He was still completely blown away by what he was seeing. He had never seen a town from this position.

Sarah said again, "Hey Reese? Earth to Derek? You there?"

Finally, Derek said, "Allison...this is where I met Ally. This is Palmdale, Palmdale, California."

Sarah questioned, "Wait? You're saying this is Allison Young's hometown?"

Jason added, "And if I'm right, this is where Fischer is too."

Sarah replied, "But how do you know he's here?"

Jason simply responded, "Cause that's where he said he'd be."

The woman answered, "So what? You just take this guy at his word?"

Jason frowned, "He's not just some 'guy' as you say. He's my friend, I promised I'd help him if I had the chance. I'm repaying a debt, that's all you need to know."

Sarah backed off, "Okay Captain, you win."

Derek scratched his head, "So what do we do now? Form a search party and scour the town? That might take a while."

Jason shook his head, "Nope, we wait. He'll find us."

"And how do you know that?" Sarah replied.

Jason answered again, "That's what we agreed upon. So stop all your babbling and just cool it, would you?"

Sarah snarled, "You think I babble now?!"

Derek grabbed Sarah's arm from behind for fear she'd try to attack Jason again, "Now hold on General!"

Unexpectedly, Sarah quickly snapped her body around, grabbing and twisting Derek's arm in the process. Derek grunted in pain, but refused to cry out in the agony. With a flash of adrenaline, he shot his free elbow towards her face. Barely missing by a quarter of an inch, Sarah managed to swivel her head away in time. Nearly losing her balance, Sarah backed up. As soon as her vision cleared, she realized that Derek wasn't looking at her anymore.

He said, "I'm not going to fight you General. That's just wrong."

"Why not? Because I'm just an old woman?" She snapped in frustration.

Derek folded his arms together and muttered, "Because General, you're dying!"

Sarah was baffled by his answer. No one ever had the guts to say something like that before, not even her closest friends would ever mention anything cancer related. She wanted to argue with him further, but strangely, she decided to remain quiet. What could she say to him? That it wasn't true? Of course it was true! And strange thing was, he seemed really upset on the inside about all of this. She figured she'd talk to him about it later.

* * *

 **Inside tech facilities...**

"Cameron, no! Why did you do that? Yes, I know that they are suspects, but you have to admit that's pretty unlikely, considering they told us they were coming. No, don't do that. Please Cameron, let me think. No, you can't throw them in a prison cell! Listen, I can fix this, just send them down in the...yes, exactly, thank you. Cameron, you have to be more careful next time, you can't just do stuff like that. Do you promise? Okay then. Alright. Oh and one more thing, don't use any of Derek's men, use the machines. I don't want Derek to take any heat for this in case things go sideways. Okay, I'll see you in a few."

John wiped the sweat off his forehead as he moved the radio away from his head. He was concerned, though Savannah could tell that John was trying to hide it. She felt bad for him. He looked like he wanted to let out his anger and pain so the world could know what he felt, but it seemed like he wanted to prove himself a leader.

Savannah, who was standing next to John, easily deduced he was talking to the cyborg on the basis that he kept saying her name over and over again. She knew that John had something on his mind and whenever John had something on his mind, it usually wasn't his mother anymore to whom he complained about his problems, it was Cameron. But since John's problem was with Cameron in this particular situation, Savannah decided she could convince John to open up to her.

"What did Cameron want?" She asked.

John got really fidgety. From Savannah's perspective, it seemed like he was trying to decided whether he should leave tech facilities. At first, John had promised that he'd stick around while the tech guys tried to analyze the data from the crashed drone's microchips. Following Allison's suggestion, they hoped that they could determine who was behind the attack on the base. The tech guys made no promises, but both knew they had to at least try. Unfortunately, John wasn't thinking about that anymore. Whatever Cameron told him on the radio completely baffled him.

Finally, John confessed in his mix of confusion, "Well, Cameron told me some good news and bad news."

Savannah blankly replied, "Okay, what is it?"

"Good news is that General Lesley and Perry are here." He said

Savannah smiled enthusiastically, "That's great isn't it?! Maybe they can help us with our drone situation!"

John answered, "Well Savannah, here comes the bad news, Cameron arrested them."

"What?! HOW? Why'd she...?" She stammered in bewilderment.

Not even Savannah could find a rational reason for the cyborg to do this.

John shook his head, "No, Savannah. Don't make that scary face. We can't panic. I have a plan. It's kind of ballsy but I have no other choice. I can't just let them go and pretend I won't be into serious trouble and I can't just lie to them and tell them that Cameron arrested them for no good reason. We'll need a really good excuse for all of that."

Savannah frowned, "So what did you tell Cameron to do? General Lesley is not exactly your best friend. She won't take arrest very well, in fact it might work against us when she reports back to San Bernardino."

John informed her, "I told Cameron to send them to Ziera basement."

John wanted to turn and leave, but Savannah would not relent. Now Savannah needed to know what John was up to.

"Why?" Savannah frowned.

"To meet John Henry!" John replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Concernedly, she answered again, "Seriously John, are you sure that's a good idea? You might make things worse in taking Lesley to meet John Henry."

Savannah was more than causally concerned. She was afraid. She knew that John Henry was really nice and friendly. Yet, he was still young and immature. Just one false move could end up plugging everyone deeper into a hole they were already in.

He said, "Listen, it worked with Perry, so I can at least hope it will work on Lesley too. John Henry isn't stupid. We'll be fine."

"So how will meeting John Henry fix the fact that Cameron arrested them?"

"It won't. I'll just pretend it's some bullshit safety protocol."

"Oh."

Savannah speedily answered, "But how do you know that Perry and Lesley didn't send that drone after us in the first place? Maybe Cameron is right. You could be trying to befriend the enemy."

John admitted, "I don't know for sure Savannah, but I've got to take that chance. Just let me...um, I need to go talk to them. Stay here in the tech lab until anything new happens. As soon as those guys get anything useful from that drone, just call me."

Savannah nodded, "Yes, sir."

John didn't initially pay attention to Savannah's last two words to him before he left, but he understood what it meant. Savannah, though much older and experienced than he was, respected him like a leader. It made him feel confident, but at the same time, it just increased the burden of responsibility that weighed over his shoulder. If Cameron was right, one day, the people would respect him and follow him. If he wanted to become that person, he needed to start proving it to himself right now.

* * *

 **Outside the ammunition depot...**

Kyle and Allison were conveniently on break at the same time. For once, Kyle had no recruits to train and Allison had no more intelligence stuff to do, so they agreed they would hang out for a little bit. Of course, if they were aware at what Cameron had done, they would have been driving themselves completely mad, but for their sake, John didn't tell them.

Allison never really thought about it, but she realized that she didn't do target practice or talk about the strategic operations with the Kyle. Those kinds of conversations were more of Derek's kind of thing. Kyle and Allison had a much different relationship than Derek. The two liked to talk about new and introspective ideas. They also liked discussing the little details in each of their lives because they often found so much more meaning in the little things.

Kyle, in the essence of his personality, always got the "big picture". That's why it really hit him hard when he found out he had a son in an alternate timeline. Derek, on the other hand, was always more of an "in the present" kind of person, only doing what was useful now and never focusing on the future.

To sum it up briefly, Allison loved the way Kyle would think.

As they sat down next to each other on an large pile of reinforced steel plates, Allison smiled, "So, how goes your relationship with General Sarah Connor?"

Kyle smiled slightly, "I'd like to think we're friends. She can't bare to see me though. I think it hurts her too much. It hurts her almost as much as it hurts John to see me and not know me personally."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Allison dimmed her own smile slightly.

"Don't be sorry for me Allison, it's General Connor who you need to feel sorry for. I didn't lose anyone, she did. I just can't figure out this large distance that is between us."

She said solemnly, "I'm sorry to hear that too. I really hope you can close that distance."

He warmly nodded, "I hope so too."

Allison wondered, "So did General Connor say anything more about your 'son' John?"

Kyle said, "Well, before she left with Jason on the hunt for this Charles Fischer guy, I got to talk to General Connor about John."

"You learn anything?" She said inquisitively.

He answered, "Yes. Learning about John's past has helped me understand a lot about him and his personality."

"Anything in particular?"

He rubbed his chin for a moment. Sarah said a lot of things that stuck with him, but he never thought about anything significant. Now that he thought about it, he remembered how stunned he was to learn what "other Kyle" did for her. Sarah mentioned how "other Kyle" came to the past to save her from a machine. Later on, he got her pregnant and after he died protecting her, she gave birth to a baby boy in an old town in Mexico.

After searching through a vast history of John Connor's life, he said, "Well Allison, to sum it up, John was basically the same as you when you were young. Talented and full of potential, but really stubborn and difficult to work with. Also, he kind of looks like me. He's got my eyes and everything."

Allison chuckled, "I can see that, but I'd characterize John a bit differently than just that."

"How?" He wondered.

Allison abstractly said out loud, "I see John as a combination of your softness and Derek's rashness. You put the two together, and you have the perfect person for a leadership role. The resistance needs someone who's compassionate, but willing to make the tough choices. I love that about him. He wants to fight back. I can see it in him even if he can't fully see it yet in himself. He just needs to mature a bit more."

Kyle replied, "I believe you. But now that you mention it, I just have to ask, how goes your mission to steal John Connor's heart away?"

Allison frowned, "A certain circumstance has prevented me from making adequate progress on that specific objective."

Kyle laughed, "Does this certain circumstance look identical to you with a metal endoskeleton?"

"Hmph! Just because you aren't Derek doesn't mean I won't punch you!"

With another genuine smile smothered all over his face he said, "You know I love getting the last jab at you Ally. It's no secret you're letting yourself get more vulnerable to such quips in your pursuing of John. You willingly endure being the butt of everyone's jokes because you care about him so much."

"Don't remind me." She moaned.

Kyle put her hand on Allison's shoulder, "Listen to me Allison. I can tell you in all honesty that if John truly knew what you felt for him, he'd fall for you right now."

Allison waved her hands in the air in frustration, "I know, but it's not working."

"Well, what are you going to do?" He said.

"I have a new plan." She said that in a very mysterious scheming voice.

Kyle quirked his eyebrow, "What is it? What evil plan do you have in mind?"

She saidl, "John asked me to stay here on base on the condition that I wore this vest underneath."

"You're wearing a vest underneath? I can hardly notice!" Kyle watched in astonishment.

"I know, it's pretty cool right? I now know that John wants me to stay here. That means he must have feelings for me. So now I can make John choose."

"How will you make him choose?" He asked.

She said in a serious tone, "I'll tell him that if he doesn't want to be my boyfriend, I'll leave."

Kyle frowned in concern, "Allison, this is basically my son you're talking about. Putting him in that position could tear him apart."

Allison corrected him, "On the contrary, it will be John's first step to becoming a leader. If he is willing to make the difficult choice, I'll respect whatever decision he makes."

"I don't know. I think you're missing a few possibilities." Kyle argued.

"What possibilities?"

"Perhaps Cameron might decide for you." He answered.

"What do you mean Cameron will decide for me?"

Kyle replied once again, "I'm sure you can figure that one out Allison, but you're putting yourself at risk of hurting John. And even if you don't admit it, I know you care about that cyborg too."

Allison felt that Kyle was trying to tell her something, and she didn't like it. Sure she liked Cameron, but what did that have to do with it? Now that she was under Kyle's disapproval, she felt her determination wavering.

She asked reluctantly, "Kyle, are you saying I shouldn't do it?"

Kyle cleared his throat before saying, "Ally, what I'm saying is that you need to be careful. Do you honestly believe you can get John to love you the way you want him to without hurting anyone in the process?

"I don't know." She admitted.

"Well Allison, I think that answers your question."

Allison sighed, "I understand...I think."

Kyle added, "There's something else I've been meaning to talk to you about."

"What?" She tilted her head.

Kyle paused, before gaining the courage to say it out loud, "It's about your hallucinations."

Allison's heart rate spiked, but she tried desperately hard to see that Kyle wouldn't recognize her hesitation.

"What hallucinations?" She pretended not to know what he was talking about.

"Don't lie to me Allison." He warned.

"I'm not lying about anything!" She fired back.

Kyle countered, "So all those times I'd fine you all alone in your bunker, talking to a mirror has nothing to do with hallucinations?"

"You've been spying on me?!" She yelled.

Allison felt her anger burning deep within her. It was not so much that she was upset with Kyle. She was more upset with herself for allowing Kyle to find out. She was better than that. If Kyle only knew the things she got away with when she was younger. It wasn't always a bad thing when Kyle and Derek underestimated her intellectual abilities.

Kyle retorted, "I don't have to! Not when you're speaking so loudly!"

Almost in a dismissive tone, Allison turned her head away from Kyle, "I don't have hallucinations. It's nothing."

Kyle leaned in closer to get her attention, "Listen, I know this might sound crazy, but bear with me here. I think you have PTSD."

"What?!" She yelled as she launched off her metal seat.

She turned to face Kyle, unsure of what to think of what he just said to her. Allison's mind tried to comprehend it, but she couldn't. She knew soldiers got it, but never did she think it would happen to her. In fact, she swore to herself she'd never let war break her, no matter how gruesome it got. She hated the sound of PTSD though. To her it sounded like some kind of debilitating syndrome. Nevertheless, she had seen what damage it did to other soldiers. They became weak and helpless in a worsening mental state. But Allison was not weak and helpless. She convinced herself she was fine and ever enduring. Everything would be fine. It had to be. At least that's what Cameron told her in her hallucinations.

Kyle confidently assured her, "It's nothing to be ashamed of Ally, but when I heard about that machine that nearly snapped your neck, I feared it would have pushed you over the edge. Maybe it did."

Allison shouted back almost offensively, "I don't have PTSD! The hallucinations have only been happening recently!"

In her anger, she realized she just admitted to having hallucinations. She literally called herself stupid a million times in her head for inadvertently confessing the truth to a nosy Kyle Reese.

Kyle responded, "That's the thing Allison! You can have PTSD and not know anything about it! The effects could come way later than you expect and the symptoms aren't always clear cut. So all I'm saying is that there's no way you can help yourself if you start denying it. I really think you need to talk to someone about this."

The young woman said in frustration, "What are you? Are you my friend or my therapist?"

"Allison, I thought we were family, not just friends." He said hurtfully.

She responded, "I need to go. I can't stay here anymore. I'm really sorry."

Allison made a motion to leave, but his voice made her stop.

He pleaded, "Allison wait! Don't go just yet."

Allison thought about it. For some inexplicable reason, Kyle's voice made her freeze. It was something about his soft and apologetic voice that made paralyzed her. She new she had to stay and here him out.

Kyle said, "Allison, please. The reason I'm telling you this is because I don't want to get Derek involved. You need to get help, even if you'll end up hating me for it. Please believe me. I really think something is wrong with you Allison, and unless you do something about it, I will. Please don't force me do that."

"You can't force me to do anything I don't want to do!" She shouted back defiantly.

Kyle was upset by this. After everything he and Derek did for her, that stubbornness would never die. Jason had told him it was pointless to try and break Allison's spirit, because no matter what Skynet did to her, she'd never change. Kyle refused to believe that. He believed that everyone had their breaking point, even Allison. Much to Derek's opposition, Kyle also believed that people could change. Allison was proof of that.

Kyle frowned, "Really? We can't force? Because if I remember correctly, Derek told me that's exactly what you wanted! When Derek found you in Palmdale, you told him you wanted to fight those machines all by yourself! Even when he offered you help you initially refused! Are you saying he should have given you what you wanted? Are you saying he should have left you to die?!"

"This is different! I was just little girl!" She said shamelessly.

He answered again, "Then why are you still acting like one? Those machines can and will hurt you physically, but they can hurt you mentally too! You were a mess when you came out of Palmdale. We were afraid that you would be damaged forever. We were afraid that you'd never be an ordinary girl ever again. But you changed back. Look, I don't want you to crack Allison. I don't want to lose you forever. Skynet has done terrible things to people. I don't want you to be one of them."

Finally, Allison's face softened. She didn't understand what Kyle was getting at, but now he understood. Never had anyone asked her about her mental health before. When she thought about it, it was kind of sweet. She hated therapists though. For some reason, her mind convinced herself they were unfriendly evil people bent of ruining her precious mind.

"You won't lose me Kyle." Allison assured him.

Kyle said, "You know Allison, I was jealous of you. When Derek brought you home, I only pretended to like you. Derek always spent his time with you and hated it. That's why I preferred to spend time with Jason. But over time, you grew on me, I couldn't help but love you. I know you don't like it very much, but I need you to listen to me. I need you to break that pride for just one minute and tell me that you're honestly fine, that everything about you is okay."

Allison knew that this was her moment. If she told Kyle everything was fine, Kyle would believe her. It was that simple. Sure, she had to lie, but lying was a piece of cake. But in seeing his face, she knew she couldn't lie to him. It was wrong. It made her feel sad. She couldn't stop listing the things she hated about herself. She couldn't stop listing all the things inhibiting her from succeeding in life. She was sad. She wanted to cry.

Allison suddenly broke out in a sob, "It's not okay! I'm not okay."

She ran over to give Kyle a hug.

Kyle calmly soothed the sobbing Allison, "It's okay. Just breathe. Now tell me, what's on your mind?"

She replied, 'Everything! My hallucinations, my love life, my reputation, it's all terrible! Even when I beat Cameron in everything, I don't feel any better. It doesn't change anything! I'm a mess! A complete and utter mess!"

Kyle whispered, "Slow down. Come on, let's get out of here. No one should see you like this."

* * *

Perry and General Lesley walked side by side as two guarded T-888s mechanically walked behind them. Lesley twisted her neck behind her, fearlessly eyeing the blank face of a clueless machine. She felt the sudden urge to lash out on the terminator, but decided that it was a bad idea. It was the cyborg in front of her, though, that she wanted to tear apart. It was that really tiny one that looked female and had a serious facial similarities to Allison that she hated. If anything, that cyborg that ascribed herself to the name of a man deserved to be scraped and buried for all eternity. Of course she was thinking about Cameron.

Perry and Lesley noticed the civilians giving them the stare as they reluctantly followed Cameron into a large fort-like structure in the middle of Derek's base. They were in Cameron's custody. Besides getting roughed up, she was fine, but her pride was broken and her anger was aroused.

She whispered in an unexpectedly calm Perry's ear, "General, where are they taking us? Why did that piece of metal tie our hands together? This is humiliating! You know what? Forget it, this was a mistake. We never should have come. This base is nothing but a front for Skynet activity."

Perry smiled reassuringly, "Relax, you'll see what all this is about in a moment."

"Why the hell that thing kidnap us?!" She gritted her teeth.

Suddenly, Cameron answered out allowed, "We're simply taking safety precautions. John wants you to meet a friend of ours."

Perry nodded, almost as if he was in agreement. He knew who Cameron was referring to. It was a certain AI that the both had in mind.

Once again, Lesley cursed herself for speaking so loudly. Those damn machines could hear anything and everything in the entire world.

After entering the large concrete structure, going down a set of newly installed stairs, they finally found what looked like a big dark cellar.

Lesley asked again, "Where are we? What's this?! What's happening? Is this the place where you kill us?"

Suddenly, the lights switched on, and in all his splendor, John Connor was there standing next to John Henry.

Immediately recognizing that John Connor was standing next to a T-888 amid a large system of computers, Lesley knew only one thing. It was Skynet.

"What is that thing? Why am I here?! Perry, what am I looking at?! Skynet?!" She screamed, trying to wriggle free from the rope that bound her hands.

Perry obliged, "No, this is the key to stopping Skynet."

Lesley screamed, "Didn't John Connor once threaten your family Perry?! How can you suddenly just join the Grays like this?!"

Perry argued back, "They were bluffing."

John Henry chimed in, "Yes, we would never hurt anyone's family Ms. Lesley."

Lesley felt her head pounding away, "What?! What did that machine thing say?!"

"I would never hurt your family." He repeated.

His friendly voice and polite demeanor through Lesley off completely. It had to be manipulation. This machine had to embody an evil intelligence. This was wrong. He should have an evil voice and he should be trying to kill everyone in this room.

She snarled, "I don't have a family you twit!"

"Our records state that you gave birth to Joan Lesley and Becky Lesley." The supercomputer informed her.

"How the hell do you know that?!" She yelled.

John Henry pointed out, "I am intelligent. Ms. Weaver created me to be able to gather such information from all government documents." He replied.

"Who is Ms. Weaver?!"

"My mother." He smiled.

In a state of fury and panic, she burst into a cold sweat, "I...I need to get out of here. This is too much. Do you have a restroom? I think I need some water!"

Amid Lesley's panicking state, John whispered to Perry, "General, you look worried. Don't worry so much, she'll come around eventually."

Perry answered, "Well, I sure hope you're right, but I'd appreciate it if you could get these things off my arms. Your machine didn't have to go through all that to take us to see John Henry."

John huffed in relief, happy to know that Perry had bought it, "Hey Cameron, get these things off Lesley and Perry and escort Lesley out would you?"

Cameron nodded, bringing a rather winded Lesley away from John Henry.

John said, "So how goes things at San Bernardino? I mean, after you convinced the guys at San Francisco I was good right? But what about San Bernardino?"

Perry replied, "Well, San Bernardino is the key. If you convince them, you convince everybody. Good news is I did convince them. You're an ally now."

John tried to withhold his surprise but couldn't contain his smile. Was he really a friend of the resistance? He could hardly believe it! Of course he wasn't a leader, nevertheless, it was progress. It was one thing he could check off the list of things he needed to do.

"Well..that was good to hear." He smiled.

Even John Henry felt happy to know this. He now knew now that he wasn't endangering anyone anymore. Not Kyle Reese, not Savannah, not John. No one could be afraid of the resistance! It was a feel good moment for everyone, including himself.

Perry suddenly said, "But what happened with that drone crash? We overheard a few civilians talking about a drone crash just outside the base?"

John nodded in acknowledgment, "Yeah I'm pretty sure Skynet possesed this drone. I think Skynet was trying to trick us into fighting with each other by using an American aircraft to attack us. They nearly succeeded because for a second, I nearly thought it was you guys!"

"Is that why you had an army out there waiting for us?" Perry frowned inquisitively.

John lied, "It was...um, military exercises. No big deal."

Perry joked, "You need to train machines to fight? I thought that was already part of their programming?"

"You know what they say right?" John smiled.

"No, what do you they say?"

"Better safe than sorry."

"I see."

"Perry, would you like to talk to John Henry some more? There's somewhere I have to be."

"Of course."

* * *

John had just barely resolved the issue with Perry. He wished he could enjoy the fact that just found a way out of a very deep hole. For a second, he thought Perry would just lose it and then all the work he did to unite the resistance would be all gone. Thankfully that wasn't the case. But now he had far worse problems to deal with. It was Cameron. He needed to find her. She never came back after escorting Lesley away. John nearly laughed at the thought that Cameron was upset. Or could she be upset? John didn't know, but in seeing how much Cameron has evolved since he first met her, he thought maybe it was possible.

He ignored those random quotes that popped into his head.

 _I can't be happy. I'm just a machine._

Just when he thought he'd give up, he spotted Cameron in a place he never thought to look. His living quarters. He darted immediately towards her. Once he caught up to her, he found her staring into nothing, almost as if she was thinking.

"Hey Cameron?" He said, "What are you doing here?"

Cameron didn't respond.

He walked closer to her and said, "Hey, you alive in there? Can we talk?"

Her head jerked upward and swerved in his direction, "What?"

He rolled his eyes and repeated in frustration, "I said, can we talk?"

Without anymore hesitation, she nodded, "Yes."

John could tell something was wrong. She seemed distant and it concerned him.

John clarified quickly, "Um, in private?"

"Do you want to kiss me or argue with me?" She responded.

"No! I mean yes! Ah never mind, just come with me."

John grabbed her by her wrist, dragging her into his bunker. After looking around and seeing no one in sight, he grabbed hold of Cameron's arms looked at her face to face. They didn't move for a long time as John just studied her face. Cameron didn't help at all in that she wouldn't even blink or say anything. She just continued to stare, almost as if she was analyzing John's facial features.

He asked her, "Cameron, be honest with me. Why did you arrest Generals Perry and Lesley?"

"They were a potential threat." She said.

John eyed Cameron confusingly, "Everyone I know is a potential threat. Why arrest them specifically?"

She explained, "When the drone crashed, I concluded that they came to observe the base's damage."

"You mean you thought they might be behind this drone attack?"

"Yes. They came from San Bernardino. That's where you told me we had to attack before you unexpectedly cancelled the mission."

John saw what Cameron was doing. She was diverting the attention to him.

"Listen, I'm sorry about that Cameron. What I did was a mistake. I was angry and I my head wasn't on straight, so I told you do that."

Cameron grew concerned. If John's head wasn't on properly, that meant his health could be affected. She quickly scanned John's biological structure for further assessment.

"Your head is perfectly attached."

"No Cameron, I'm simply saying that I wasn't thinking correctly."

"Oh."

John further explained, "There's something you need to understand about me. I don't always behave rationally or appropriately. Sometimes, when I am emotionally upset, I will do things that I wouldn't normally do and say things I don't believe."

"You think I can be happy or upset."

"Yes I do."

"Will you tell Sarah about what you did?"

John regretfully nodded, "Yes, I have to. But that's not what I wanted to say to you. I wanted you let you know that you can challenge me if you think I'm making a mistake. Your ability to look that things objectively isn't always a bad thing."

Cameron titled her head, "Is that why you love me? Is it because I'm objective?"

"No, it's because you're...you're Cameron. There's no other way I can explain it to you."

"Okay."

"You're the reason I keep doing this. I wouldn't be here in and doing any of this in the future if it wasn't for your running away from me."

"I'm sorry John."

"I know you are and I understand why you did it. But there's something you don't understand. Every time I'm around you, I constantly think about how good you make me feel. I keep thinking about what I used to be and what I'm going to become. You're so naive and yet so wonderfully mysterious at the same time. I have this sensation inside of me that never goes away when I'm with you. I need you Cameron."

"I know. That's why I'm still here."

John suddenly, almost erratically wrapped his arms around Cameron. While resting his head on her shoulder, he squeezed her so hard that he felt she'd break if she wasn't human.

"Cameron, the decisions I make can affect you too. You know that right?"

"I know." The cyborg responded, "I just wanted to keep you safe."

John said, "Don't take this the wrong way. But the entire future of resistance isn't safe if you do stuff like that!"

"I wasn't thinking about the future. We're machines, we only do what's necessary for the present."

"I don't believe that Cameron. Don't try to defend yourself by being less than what you really are."

"How do you know I'm more?"

"Because I wouldn't love you if I didn't believe you were something more."

Silence. There it was. John hadn't realized it, but he suddenly felt Cameron's hands grasping his. He suddenly burst into a sweat. What was she doing? What did that mean?

Finally Cameron responded, "You love me for my potential?"

"No, I love you because I think you care. I think you do understand emotional attachments. I think...I think you have a heart."

"Do you believe I have a heart John? After everything I did to you?"

"Yes." He said confidently.

"After this is over, would you like to go on a date like you asked me?"

"Um...uh."

Cameron watched silently and patiently as his lips struggled to form words.

"Yes...yeah...yes!"

"What should we do now?" Cameron replied.

This time, John had no idea what to do. It seemed so ironic that he could prevent two resistance bases from going into battle against each other, but he couldn't figure out what he wanted to do with Cameron.

He admitted, "Um, I don't know."

"We could kiss." She suggested.

John smiled, "Well, I like doing that. But we always do that don't we?"

"We could go for a walk on the apocalyptic wasteland. Savannah says you need exercise. I agree with her."

John ignored her insult with a another suggestion, "We could eat slop. I heard it's been tasting better recently. I think they might have meat in it this time."

"Okay." Cameron replied almost dejectedly.

John frowned, "Hey what's wrong? I didn't food would bother you that much."

Cameron had something else on her mind. It bothered her. She wasn't sure she should tell John, but she figured it was the right thing to do.

"Allison may spot us and try to stop us from dating."

"I'm sure I can handle Allison." He said.

Cameron offered her help, "I can restrain her until our date finishes."

John shook his head in reluctance, "No, I don't think that will be necessary."

"Duct tape can be used to keep her silent." She said.

"Okay Cameron, stop it. That's not funny."

Cameron suddenly started zoning out, "Morphine needles can be used to sedate her..."

* * *

Lesley gasped for breath, trying to hold herself together. She had just witnessed Skynet and now she could end it. She had the chance to win the war against Skynet once and for all. This "John Henry" could manipulate all these ordinary humans, but she was no ordinary human.

She sat down all alone in a restroom. Searching for any possible onlookers, she cleared her throat and quietly spoke into her radio, "Hello, this is General Lesley reporting as ordered. General Perry is turned. I repeat General Perry has been turned. We have a location on the prize. Going ahead with phase two."

A an unknown conspirator responded in a deep computer manipulated voice, "Does anyone else know?"

She whispered back, "Negative, sir."

"Are you certain Derek Reese and Sarah Connor are absent?"

"Yes, there is no one besides General Perry to command their defense. They're exposed."

"You must detain General Perry."

"But they're machines everywhere! What if I can't do it?"

The modulated voice darkly replied, "Then you know what to do. Do not let it trace back to you."

Lesley gulped, "Y-yes."

* * *

 **Back in Palmdale California...**

It had only been nearly two hours since they stranded themselves on the hillside with Jason Cameron. Derek decided to rest against the dead trunk of what was once a lively oak tree. With his hands folded together and his exhausted head drooping over his shoulders, he almost didn't notice that Sarah was right next to him.

A sudden snap of the twig caught Derek's sudden attention

He perked up, "Um, Sarah, what was that?"

"What?"

"That noise. It was like a twig or something."

"Maybe that's the paranoia or something." She muttered.

Derek hissed, "NO! Get down!"

A sudden shot rang out, catching the everyone by surprise. Jason shifted around to hear what sounded like a band of raging men charging towards his unit. Once he could focus in on it, he was dismayed. Indeed it was a band of nearly a hundred men hurtling towards them at lightning speed. Jason would have never guessed there were any humans capable of stalking his men so high up there in the mountains, but in seeing what he was seeing right now proved he was wrong. Before he could think of giving his men an order, there they were there, enemy guns poised on them. Only a few of Jason's men actually had the chance to grab their weapons.

Meanwhile, Derek and Sarah hid behind the tree stump. They weren't caught, at least not yet.

Sarah made a motion to get out there and help, but Derek pulled her down, "Wait, let's see how this plays out first!"

She reluctantly agreed and they quietly and closely observed what they knew could be Grays or even raiders who got the jump on Jason. Having a good view, Derek observed their guns and uniforms of the ragtag military force threatening Jason. Their clothes were old, worn, yet very familiar. They were former resistance uniforms. Perhaps they were a little outdated in comparison to the brand new HCR material they used now, but it was nevertheless resistance. Derek knew they had to be deserters, just like Jason.

Jason growled, "What's the meaning of this? Who the hell are you people?!"

One man, not dressed in any uniform,, walked ahead of the one hundred men. He had a beretta in his hand, swinging the gun back and forth almost as if deciding whether he wanted to shoot someone. He was shorter in stature, had long gray hair that covered his head with a very messy goatee. On his rather sweaty and dirty face, he wore a thin pair of glasses. He was a somewhat odd person to look at, but in this day and age, it didn't really seem to be a big deal how one looked.

This strange man said, "I was just about to ask you the same question."

"The resistance you dumbass!"

"Ha! The resistance in that kind of uniform? You've got to be kidding me." Said the unknown man.

Jason replied, "And who the hell are you?"

"Can't you see our uniforms?!"

Jason shot back, "You're not resistance. You're deserters. If I were you, I'd get the hell out of here while you still can. My mercy only lasts a limited amount of time."

The stranger smirked, "We outnumber you 2 to 1. I don't think you get to dictate terms around here."

Jason blankly answered, "Listen, I don't want to fight you. I don't even care, since I was once deserter myself."

"Then what are you doing here?"

"I'm looking for Charles Fischer, an old buddy of mind." Jason replied.

"And whose asking?!"

"Captain Jason Cameron of the 21st division."

"Jay? Is that really you! Damn it, you shaved! Look at you!"

"Wait? No, you're Ch-Charles? Oh my gosh, you got fat!"

Almost embarrassed they had hidden themselves in the first place, a surprised Derek and Sarah came out of hiding to meet Jason's old friend.

* * *

 **John and Cameron arrive at Ziera basement...**

For some reason, John and Cameron were contacted by John Henry to visit him on Ziera base alone. It was a strange request, but Cameron and John already knew what it was that John Henry wanted to talk to them about. It was the secret that John kept from Savannah and Allison because it was so important. It wasn't that John didn't trust Savannah and Allison. He just felt that cyborgs and AIs were just better at that sort of thing.

As John and Cameron entered John Henry's basement, he said, "Hey John Henry, why did you call us? Is it about our secret mission?"

"Hello Ms. Phillips. Hello John. It is regarding the mission. I have something important to tell you." The intelligent being replied.

"What is it?" He asked.

The largest screen behind John Henry suddenly projected a long list of dialogue.

John and Cameron eyed the screen behind him asking, "What is that we're looking at?"

John Henry explained, "This is Ms. Lesley's radio script. She is speaking with an anonymous individual within San Bernardino. You were correct. Ms. Lesley cannot be trusted. She has sent a request for an army to move towards this base with the presumed intent of arresting General Perry for his betrayal. It is possible this army will attack the base as well."

Cameron interrupted, "Do you think that this army consists of rebels or criminals?"

The AI took a good long look at the cyborg before telling his non-human friend, "I don't know. Shall I tell General Perry what is happening? He is in Intelligence Headquarters as of this moment."

John nodded, "Good, notify General Perry of what happened. We'll need Bedell's help on this mission. Where is he?"

"He is located in the Mess Hall."

John turned to Cameron and smiled, "Cameron we've caught her. Lesley. She's the one that did it."

"Yes, we did." She nodded.

Cameron still seemed kind of lost, almost as if she was behaving outside of her normal awkward self. Something was still off about her and John couldn't figure it out.

He grabbed Cameron's hand and squeezed, "Come on Cameron. Smile. We did it. We found her. At least one of her. It's a start. Maybe we can find out who's behind this conspiracy and end this once and for all."

John's heart sank a little to see that Cameron wouldn't smile, but he wouldn't give up.

Cameron replied, "You should thank Savannah and Allison too for preventing you from making a mistake."

John smiled again, "I will. I definitely will. Come on, let's go."

* * *

James Ellison spent his time thinking. While strolling down a busy pathway of bustling civilians going about their daily lives, he was busy doing what he did best. That, of course, was investigating. Being so old, he was no longer required to serve in the resistance. It irritated him, but he knew that it was the truth. Neither his experience at Ziera corporation or his time in the Federal Bureau of Investigation could help him contribute now. He was just an honorary retiree who wasted too much of his life in prison.

He thought quietly to himself, "I should be grateful. I could have lost my mind like the other prisoners in that dreadful work camp! But now I'm here, comfortable and safe."

Suddenly, those words from Sarah Connor came into his mind, "No one is ever safe."

He felt the urgent need to talk to Sarah again as that quote went through his head. Safety was important. It was the reason he was investigating in the first place. In fact, his investigation into the whereabouts of Catherine Weaver could be helped by Sarah. The General Sarah Connor always had a watchful eye and if there was anyone to worth talking to, it would be her. Unfortunately, she was still away. He'd have to wait on her to get back before he could speak with her.

He whispered again to himself, "Thank God though for Sarah keeping busy. If she didn't have something to do, she'd start thinking about her losing battle against cancer, her former lover Kyle Reese, her son John, her fear that the resistance would still lose because John is too young. It's all just too much for her."

Ellison smiled to himself in amusement. He realized that he and Sarah had a long history before the resistance, yet they never had time to catch up on anything. They were always preoccupied with one thing after the other. Suddenly, he forgot what he was thinking about. His ideas were so scattered now, he couldn't recall what he was trying to do.

He muttered out loud, "Wait? Where was I? I wish I wasn't so old. I feel so useless. Even Martin Bedell has something to contribute, but I have nothing. My time is up. I've already done everything I can for the resistance."

A cold female voice interrupted his long walk, "That would be shame wouldn't it James?"

Ellison's eyes widened in both fear and excitement, "Weaver?"

He turned around to see that she looked exactly the same, except the red headed terminator was wearing a resistance uniform. His head swiveled left to right, to notice that none of the civilians had noticed who she was. After all, she looked exactly like an ordinary human. Why be afraid if she was a human right?

She said in her always mysterious fashion, "Agent James, it's a pleasure to see you again."

"It's...it's been a while." He responded.

Weaver acknowledged, "You have taken care of my Savannah while you were away."

Ellison frowned at the thought that Savannah belonged to Weaver. But he didn't bother contest that.

He nodded, "Yes, well. As long as I could...I mean...until the bombs dropped. Thanks to Derek Reese, though, I ended up in a work camp rotting away, worried sick about Savannah. I'm sorry I failed to protect her as she grew up. It was my fault."

Weaver said in an almost dismissive tone, "I'm sure you did the best you could."

"I...um...I haven't been an agent in a while Ms. Weaver. Why, why are you here talking with me?" He stammered out.

Weaver quickly accused him, "I hear you have been planting doubt in John Henry."

Ellison defended himself, "Truly, that wasn't my intention."

"I understand you want to know my motives." The liquid metal replied.

He shakily nodded again, "Yes."

Despite having a history with Weaver, Ellison always feared her. She seemed to be a good guy at one point, and then a bad guy at another. Sometimes, she seem really genuine and other times she'd be frighteningly secretive. She was a terminator, ruled by cold logic. Ellison knew she was the only capable of doing the most unprecedented of unprecedented things possible. Of course James Ellison was not afraid to die. As he aged, he accepted that one day he'd be gone. That's not what bothered him. What bothered him was that he didn't want to die in vain. He didn't want to die because of a foolish mistake he made in trusting a terminator to help him as well as humanity in defeating Skynet.

"All will be revealed in due time Mr. Ellison." She said.

Ellison almost answered in a mocking tone, "With all due respect Ms. Weaver, I've been waiting twenty years! Do you know how hard it's been trying to unsee what's happened? You're a machine and I'm putting my trust in you that you won't sabotage everything we've built together, even John Henry."

As if she were genuinely unhappy with that statement, she responded, "Whether you like it or not, I am what I am. If I were interested in sabotaging your efforts to defeat Skynet, I would have done so the moment you began your investigation into Sarah Connor."

"Is that it? You're saying I should trust you because you haven't killed me yet?"

"Who do you think it was that got you out of serving a long prison sentence?"

Ellison's mind nearly lost it. Weaver was involved with his arrest? Or lack thereof? How many more things did Ellison do where Weaver was involved? She was liquid metal for crying out loud.

"You...you were involved... Please Ms. Weaver, don't make me think like this. It's too confusing. Just tell me the complete truth. Honestly, what are you trying to do? What is your goal in all of this? Not even John Henry or John Connor know for certain what your ultimate plan is."

"I am unifying the resistance."

Ellison looked at Weaver skeptically, "Is that so? John Connor told me that General Lesley is pitting us against San Bernardino! I hardly call that unifying don't you think?"

Weaver smiled, "It's all part of one plan. John Connor is playing his part perfectly. I know what General Lesley is doing."

"So what? Are we just puppets in your grand scheme of world domination?"

Weaver snapped, "You are puppets because you allow yourself to be controlled and manipulated, not because I force you to. My goal is not domination. My goal is to defeat Skynet, replace the entire server mainframe with John Henry, and then with his power, we can bring order and prosperity back into the world."

Ellison knew there were more questions that needed to be answered. What exactly did she mean by replacing the entire server mainframe? Why would that be important anyway? How does that bring back order and prosperity in the world? However, Ellison didn't have time to complain about that.

He simply answered, "So what about the drone crash? You set that up too?"

"No."

"Then who did?"

"I don't know."

"Wait, are you being honest with me. You're not responsible for that?"

"No, I am not responsible"

"Doesn't that concern you that drones are flying toward us?"

"It is not a main concern. I knew it was coming."

"But that drone tried to kill us!"

"Maybe so. But my John rescued your John, didn't he?"

Ellison didn't bother acknowledge, but continued to pres, "And what about rescuing us from prison at Century work camp? Was that done out of the goodness of your own heart? Or was it just a small piece to a much larger puzzle of yours?"

Weaver shook her liquid metal head, "No, I needed some spare parts for a project of mine. However, it was my intention to rescue you James."

Ellison didn't know whether to believe it or not. Did Weaver rescue him because somewhere deep inside her cold heart, there was some warmth? Or was it logic day in and day out? Ellison didn't really think he'd ever understand.

"I need to ask you one more thing and I need you to be honest Ms. Weaver."

"What is it?"

"Did you know Steven Fletcher was going to attack this base? Did you force Allison Young to kill him?"

"Why would you accuse me of attacking my own base?"

"Because you want to force John Connor to fight Skynet with complete disregard for human life. You want us to start a total war with both machines and grays."

"No, that is not what I want. And no, I did not know Steven Fletcher would attack this base. But now I must go. There are still more things I need to do."

"Wait!" Ellison pleaded.

There was still so much more he needed to ask. There was so much he still didn't know. But it was too late, Weaver had walked behind a building and disappeared.

* * *

 **Back in John's bunker...**

John sat down in his rather uncomfortable bed. In reality, it wasn't really a bed, but John liked to think it was one. He rubbed his eyes feeling completely frustrated and stressed out. John found that the stress never went away. For most of his time in the future, he always had this feeling deep inside of him that kept eating at him constantly. He felt that one day he'd just lose it and go insane. But he never did. He didn't know why. But when he saw a cyborg walk through the front door, he knew why.

He quickly looked down, staring at his own hands. He didn't really feel like talking to anyone. He just wanted to run away from the world and be free. He wanted all the pressures from this life to be gone. But he knew he couldn't have it.

Meanwhile, Cameron noticed John was in one of his "mood swings" again. Cameron had classified this one as the "doomsday mood". It was the worst kind. Cameron didn't know how to help him get rid of the feeling, but what she did know was that she could just distract him and help him focus on other things so that he could get through it.

She walked towards John and silently sat beside him on the bed. John felt the warmth of her presence immediately. She always seemed to be there when he needed her the most.

"Cameron, I need to ask you something." He said quietly.

Cameron softly answered back, "Yes John."

"Why did you ask me to bring Allison with us in case we needed to go back to the past?"

"I wanted to bring Allison to the past." She replied.

"And why is that?" He said again.

This time Cameron wouldn't lie to John. For some reason, Cameron knew that he had to tell John the truth.

Cameron admitted, "So you would be with her instead of me."

John grew extremely concerned in a matter of milliseconds, "What do you mean? You mean...like...my girlfriend?!"

"Yes." She answered.

"Why?! I thought you didn't want me around Allison like that?"

"I don't, but it's the best thing to do." She tried to say as coolly as possible

John fiercely clenched his hands together, "You really are confusing me right now!"

"I do that sometimes."

John feared he was losing Cameron. Why would she allow him to kiss her if she never intended him to be with her? What was wrong with her? Was this some kind of sick joke? Was this being done out of hatred or anger? What was going on?

John desperately explained, "Cameron, you don't understand. I want you! I don't want her. Let me repeat that again. I want you and you only."

The terminator tilted her head, "You don't want Allison at all?"

"Let me rephrase that. I don't want her more than you! I choose you Cameron. I want you! I chose you first! Don't you get the concept of choice? I thought you'd be happy with that."

"But what about my choice?" Cameron countered.

"What choice?"

"Isn't it selfish to accept your own opinion and not my own?"

Cameron's words shocked John. He never thought about asking for Cameron's opinion on his love life. He screamed inwardly on how selfish he was. Cameron wasn't just an object, she was a person and he was ignoring that. John called himself 'stupid' a million times in his head.

"What is your opinion?" He asked her in all curiosity.

 **Conversation to be continued...  
**

* * *

Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter. Like I said before, Cameron's conflicted. She loves John and wants no one else to be his girlfriend. However, her logic tells her that the best thing he can do for John is to stay away from him and allow Allison to win him over. It's a battle within herself that she only figures out in the final chapter. Also a small subplot to notice is that Cameron is unsure of the reasons that John loves her. It's almost as if she feels that she isn't worth the love that John bestows on her.


	32. Preserving the Leadership

Chapter 32

 _Enjoy the chapter. If there are any crazy errors or problems, please let me know in the reviews._

* * *

Allison Young sat in a strangely very comfortable couch. She never sat in a couch before. She wasn't completely aware any form of seating so comfortable could possibly exist in the world. That feeling of comfort annoyed Allison. It made her feel vulnerable. It made her feel like everything was okay. She just sat there all alone in the doctor's office, watching patiently has he scribbled on his clipboard.

She thought to herself, "How can comfort be so irritable?"

She suddenly began twiddling her thumbs as her anxiousness was starting to get the better of her. The doctor, completely focused on his clipboard, got distracted by Allison's fidgeting. He eventually switched his focus to the young woman in front of him to address her concerns.

With a deep breath, he put his clipboard down and said to her, "Ms. Young, do you know why you're here?"

Wagging her legs back and forth, she said in an almost frantic voice, "Does it really matter doc?"

He smiled almost sarcastically, and then with a deep breath he removed his glasses and dropped them off onto his desk.

After scratching that notorious itch behind his right ear, he replied, "If you could show me some maturity Officer Young and answer the question, I'd be quite pleased."

Surprised by the doctor's rather cold response, Allison frowned, "Fine then! I'm here because I have hallucinations. There I said it!"

The doctor shook his head and frowned deeply, "No, its not quite that. The reason you're here is actually because of the dangers of hallucination."

"What are you talking about? What dangers? You think I'll go crazy or something?"

The doctor replied immediately, "Not necessarily. But if you're in the field or at home, you can potentially harm yourself. Yet worse, you could harm other people, including children if you mistaken them for a threat to your life."

Allison was almost shocked that anyone could underestimate her like that. She'd never hurt anyone and her hallucinations never changed that. She was a soldier and a skilled one at that. Maybe not officially a soldier, but she sure felt like one when she was shooting terminators in the head. For a moment, she thought about the fact that she hadn't killed any terminators recently. Maybe that's all she needed. A little prescription of killing metal wouldn't hurt would it? Now she was beginning to sound like Derek.

She answered, "No, I'd never hurt children. Whenever I'm in the field, I'm always focused. That has never changed."

"How would you know that?" He said in a questioning, yet damning response.

The doctor caught her in her tracks. How would Allison know what's real and what's not? How would she know whether or not she hallucinated out in combat?

Allison declared in a somewhat baffled voice, "Damn it! I…I just do! I know what I'm talking about."

The doctor sighed, "We'll see. Now tell me, what do you experience in your hallucinations? The more I know about them, these…hallucinations, the better I can assess you."

The sudden thought of having to confess her hallucinations to the doctor sounded terrible. She felt like some kind of lab experiment and that this psychiatrist or psychologist doctor or whoever the hell he was happened to be an evil scientist. She grew irritated, hoping she could find a way to get out of the conversation with him.

She protested, "It doesn't matter what my hallucinations are. Just give me some drugs or something to ease the affects of these…of these stupid visions. Isn't that so much easier anyway?"

The doctor laughed, "Officer Young, as easy as that sounds, it's not how therapy works."

While the doctor was amused, Allison was not in the least. This conversation continued to feel like a complete waste of time. She wasn't getting anywhere and she definitely wasn't getting better.

She clenched her fists tightly and yelled, "Alright enough! Screw it! I'm not telling you anything! This is a waste of both your and my time."

Allison launched off the super soft chair, intending to walk right out of the room and out of the infirmary, never to return ever again. There was nothing in the world that could stop her. She was powerful. She was respected. She was the invincible Allison Young.

All seemed well and good until the doctor's voice behind her threatened her with a sudden warning.

He said to her, "Young, if you don't sit back down on that chair, there will be serious consequences."

Never before had someone verbally threatened her like that. At least not legitimately. It was indeed a surprising thing. Being threatened by a higher authority was not something Allison was used to experiencing. Yeah, people hated her for being what they called "Derek's spoiled brat" but she did her best to ignore those ugly words. Allison was not happy about this. Even though she knew she should probably submit to him, she would not back down so easily.

She said, "Oh yeah doc? Like what? What are you going to do to me huh?" She provoked, eyeing the doctor angrily.

Allison felt that there was nothing the doctor could do to make her life any worse than it possibly was. Walking out that door was just as easy as walking right in.

The doctor replied, "If you leave without my approval, you won't be authorized to carry that rifle you hold so dear to you."

"Don't you dare!" She screamed, suddenly feeling for her spare handgun tucked behind her waist.

The doctor reiterated in monotonous fashion, "I can and I will do it. I have the authority to discharge any soldier or military personnel struggling with PTSD, injuries, or handicaps."

Allison groaned in contest, "Like I said before, I don't have PTSD!"

"I'll be the judge of that." He shot back.

The doctor ignored Allison's pleas. Clearly, the medical man was more interested in making his own judgment first before addressing Allison's assessment. However, Allison wasn't just about finished yet. She was trained to take a beating. She was trained to be accept humiliation and punishment! She could still challenge him. Or at least she could try. Her pride was not broken just yet.

She again decided to test the patience of the doctor with a conniving plan, "Fine, take away my gun if you want to! I'll just find another one and you won't even know it."

"If you do that, I'll report it to the Lieutenant." The doctor cautioned.

Allison challenged him again, "Yeah, and what are you going to tell him about me? You aren't authorized to tell him anything because of your doctor/patient confidentiality. Won't you find that rule in your little code of ethics somewhere?"

The doctor did not think Allison would go this far to not only attack his authority, but exploit his limitations. Nevertheless, the doctor seemed a little too calm for Allison's liking. The doctor rubbed his eyes vigorously in frustration, seemingly unsure of what to tell the rebellious woman in the spur of the moment. He knew how strong Allison was. She killed people before and yet she never lost herself or her principles because of it. She could pull off the most daring stunts without breaking down or bowing out. On top of all of that, Allison was now hurling things at him and he had no clear way of resolving her anger.

The doctor said in a somewhat slow response, "Officer Young, if you do not want therapy, then that's your decision. But let me tell you this first before you walk out of that room. You are not the smartest and wisest of people to walk the earth. You are not the most respected or the most intelligent. I'm sure you know that already. That's why you follow the instructions of those who are wiser than you because you know they give you good guidance. Being an orphan like yourself, I'm sure you struggle more to understand the concept I'm getting at, so let me just tell it to you straight. You did not make it this far in life by failing to obey the directives of your superiors."

"What are you getting at?" She asked.

The doctor continued, "Let's face it. You're thin, short, and people don't respect you as much as they should. Perhaps it's because you're a woman…or maybe it's because you're simply irritating to be around. However, like I said before, I think the reason you became so successful was because you followed your orders. Officer, you have been successful so far, so don't stop now. I've met a lot of patients like you before. Whenever they were in trouble, they shut down. They didn't talk or let out their feelings. They just hid away and buried their problems until those problems ate their soul away. As a superior, I'm asking you to do the opposite. Please, just talk to me. Let me help you. So let's start by you sitting the hell down in that chair."

The word "Uhhhhh" was the only slurring word that left Allison's mouth. How could she respond to such a statement like that? It was inspirational, informative, and very well thought out. How could she refute it? No witty insults or childish remarks could get her out of this one. The beast within Allison was finally tamed by the cool and collected doctor.

The outsmarted Allison humbly took a seat.

Only moments after, she asked, "Okay, you win. What do you want to know?"

The man swallowed to coat his dry throat before saying, "How about telling me about your parents first?"

"I don't remember them very well." Allison began to shift around unnervingly.

He answered, "Tell me what you remember. Those memories you do have are perhaps the most important."

She directed her eyes upward as she recalled, "I know my mom's first name was Claire. I don't know my dad's name, I can't remember."

"Well, you've already told me you're from Palmdale. So do you know what your parents did for a living in Palmdale?" He said.

"Of course I know! My mom was a dancer and my dad was an architect!"

This was only the beginning of what would be hundreds of questions. Before Allison knew it, the doctor would ask her about the battles she experienced against Skynet. He even asked her about her relationship with Steven Fletcher. Allison was fine with talking about Fletcher, though she never liked to stay on that topic for a very long time. Allison was beginning to feel stronger. She felt she could answer any question the doctor threw her way. But this time, the doctor asked her something that she didn't see coming.

He took a long glance at his clipboard before saying in a casual tone, "What's your relationship with John Connor?"

"Nothing much." She rolled her eyes, trying to suppress her surprise at the question.

Doctor's eyes gazed into Allison's with a very interested look, "What do you mean?"

She shrugged, "Like I said, nothing much. I know him, but that's basically it."

"I find that hard to believe." He sighed in disbelief.

The doctor seemed like he wanted more from her. He knew that Allison and John were more to each other than professional colleagues.

She frowned in annoyance and folded her arms tightly together, "Why?"

He explained, "Well weren't you the only person protecting John Connor from Lieutenant Reese after this base went to war against the same machines that are running around this base right now? I think you're closer to him than you say you are."

Allison defended herself, "Yeah, I wish."

The doctor didn't move away from the subject. He just kept staring at her with his deep eyes, unhappy with Allison's constant dodging of the question and her belligerent attitude.

Seeing that the doctor had no more patience, Allison finally spoke up, "Look, I protected John from Derek because I thought John was caught up in an unfortunate situation. And if you recall I nearly killed him when my fist couldn't stop massaging his face! Clearly I don't love him."

Allison gritted her teeth and violently pounded her fist into her other hand. That sudden thought of John and Cameron fueled her anger. She suddenly had an urge to punch John in the face.

He smiled, "I never said you loved him."

In that sudden realization, Allison yelled, "Damn! You made me say that didn't you?!"

The doctor theorized, "You are upset with him. You are upset with John Connor for something he did to you."

"Yeah, thanks for pointing that out Captain obvious." She said begrudgingly.

The doctor ignored her ranting, "Speaking of obviousness, Savannah Weaver has said a lot about you. In fact, she is so loud and talkative, it's no longer a secret that you have affection for John Connor."

Allison no longer took the doctor seriously. She flashed a fake smile and spoke in a kooky sarcastic tone, "Oh, really? Savannah's talkative? Man, I'm so surprised."

"Have you considered talking to John Connor about whatever it is that is upsetting you?" He said.

"There's nothing, really. It's just a personal matter."

The doctor wouldn't give into Allison's plight to change the subject and pushed on, "You know what I'm talking about. You have romantic feelings for him and your friends and family have made that clear. Did you talk him about your feelings for him?"

Allison rubbed her forehead in frustration, "It's not that simple. You don't know John Connor."

The doctor countered, "Well, I do know he is strongly attached to your identical counterpart, the only one of a few female T-888s on the base."

Allison bit her lip, "Oh, so then you do know what I mean when I say I'm settling for second place. Everything I do, no matter how impressive it is, won't change John's mind about me. It's Cameron who always seems to overshadow me. At the end of all of this, he runs to her and not me. I mean, what is it she has that I don't?"

"I can't begin to understand the dynamics between this cyborg of unknown origins and you too Ms. Young. But have you considered talking to John about it? Have you ever spoken to him face to face?"

"No." She shook her head adamantly.

The doctor stole a look at his clipboard before suggesting, "Fine. Let's try something else. Uh, sometimes touch or sensation can also be a way of conveying feelings towards someone. Have you ever gave him physical sensations that could hint him towards your preference of him? After all, it is not like John Connor could possibly fall in love with a machine. That's ridiculous."

Allison felt like the doctor was beginning to pry, but it didn't matter. If he could give some suggestion that could win John over, she'd take it. She was glad, though, that the doctor didn't suspect John of being in love with Cameron. That would be a pretty embarrassing thing to tell the doctor as well as a very dangerous thing too. The doctor would probably end up on Cameron's hit list.

Allison answered, "Yeah…so ridiculous. You know what though? That's a bright idea. Physical sensations sound so innovative, yet so obvious and simple. Wow!"

"What do you mean Ms. Young?"

Allison smiled deviously, "I can pin him to the wall! Then I can kiss him. Once he realizes how passionate I can be, he'll turn away from Cameron. I'll win him over with my romantic sensations. Thanks doc! I've got to try this out."

The doctor got up and said, "Woah, hold on!"

Allison couldn't hear him. She was already half way out of the infirmary. She was just blown away by it. Who needed talk when you could use action? She felt happy. She felt motivated. And it was always thanks to that doctor whose name Allison couldn't even remember.

* * *

 **Back in John's bunker…**

"What is your opinion?" John said. After a sudden pause, it literally felt like he'd been waiting more than three weeks for her response."

Cameron admitted, "The people of Ziera base will never accept our relationship. You are a human and I'm a machine. You have a human woman in Allison to help you lead the resistance. I cannot be leader like you want. No one will trust me."

John vehemently shook his head in a passionate defiance, "Cameron, in the past, you've been a leader, so how can you say it's a bad idea now? Look how much we've accomplished! I'm sure the resistance can get used to you if we work hard. And let me tell you, I think you can make a great leader. Maybe an even better than Allison if you can prove it to yourself. Cameron, please, I want you and I know that the people will accept you if you try."

"But Allison wants you too. I think she wants you more than you want me." She answered.

He cried out, "And what's Allison got to do with this now? And what makes you think that she wants me more than I want you?"

John turned around and threw his head up to the ceiling. He was frustrated. She couldn't understand what Cameron was getting at. Everything she said, all her opinions, all her anecdotes, all her awkward Cameronisms, everything seemed to compile into one big complex web of mystery. Sometimes, John was amused by Cameron's behavior. But now, it was just too much for him to handle. Life in the post-apocalyptic universe was too confusing already and he just couldn't handle her cryptic words anymore.

Cameron replied, "Allison will be hurt if you don't give her a chance. I don't think she could handle our relationship."

John sealed his lips shut for a second. He wanted to blast out an unnerving response because he felt like Cameron was rejecting him. But when he realized what she was getting at, his eyes shot wide open. He finally understood her. Cameron wasn't rejecting him. She was just afraid she'd hurt Allison.

John said, "You mean, you're...you're scared of what we might do to Allison if she thinks we're…uh, you know…this?"

"I don't want her to get hurt." She assured him.

John gazed into Cameron's eyes. He noticed those subtle gestures her face made. He recalled nearly a year ago when he talked to his mother Sarah Connor on his cellphone. He remembered Cameron slowly gliding by him in her pink lingerie. He remembered her lips. They seemed to stick out scathingly on him. He remembered her eyes squinting into a slight frown as she rolled right past him. At that time, John knew she was upset with him. Unfortunately, John spent more time admiring her attractive body for him to notice her expressions.

He recalled another time where she asked him about birthdays. When she asked if she had a birthday, her eyes widened and her mouth opened gently. That was Cameron being curious.

This time, however, Cameron was different. No, her lips weren't curved upwards this time. The Cameron John was looking at sat next to him on his bed seemingly sad. He could tell because her body was overtly relaxed, her mouth seemed more poutful than usual, and her eyes were sunken.

John thought to himself, "Is it possible for downtrodden terminators to feel sad? Am I going crazy? "

John was right to ask that question. Did Cameron really exert real emotion or was his mind playing tricks on him? Maybe Cameron still manipulated him. But then again, how would he know?

John said out loud, "Cameron, I think you've changed somehow. Not long after I met you, you didn't even care about anything but potential threats. But now you're different. Now…now you're even afraid you'll hurt Allison because you're close to me. That's just…I don't know how to explain it, but that's…"

John wasn't sure what to say. His mind went blank when he tried to find a word that could describe how much Cameron evolved over the past three years. He surprised himself when he thought about it.

Cameron tilted her head, seeming concerned about John's words.

She said, "That's what?"

John explained, "Listen, I was so surprised when Allison told me you saved a bird by flipping over that Jeep. Derek could never figure out why that Jeep got damaged on one side."

"I shouldn't have flipped the Jeep."

John laughed gently, "Yeah, maybe that was a little rash."

Cameron watched him silently. Her face didn't move, she didn't even blink. She just sat there and watched John rub his chin in his perplexity.

John paused to gather his thoughts, finally he said, "I think I know what I want to tell you. It's this. You can't just…you can't just live life trying to please other people all the time. It's impossible. I don't know if you'll admit it to me or not, but you like Allison and you might even care about her. I do too. But you can't let her life or anyone else's control yours. You have to believe me on that."

Cameron's body turned so that she could face John.

She said, "I believe you."

John smiled gently, "Oh, and there's something important I need to ask you. It's the only way we can resolve all of this once and for all."

"What is it?"

John replied, "It's about the two of us. You think you can answer it?"

"I don't know." She said honestly.

He nodded and boldly asked the question anyway, "Let's try then. The question is this. Do you love me? Do you really love me? If you don't think you love me...then...then I'll…"

John wasn't sure what he'd do if Cameron told him she didn't love him. After all, what could he possibly do if she ended up not loving him? There was nothing. Would he just suddenly stop loving Cameron and just run straight to Allison? No, that just couldn't be possible. He'd probably be upset, he knew that he loved Cameron. When Cameron left him for 2027, he knew that he loved her, even if she couldn't love him back. Nevertheless, he just couldn't finish his thought. Thankfully, Cameron said something before he could bother finish his sentence.

The cyborg shifted her eyes away from John's and said, "I don't know…"

John's heart suddenly sank down. He remembered falling asleep in Cameron's arms. He thought he thought he heard her say at one point that she loved him in return. Maybe that was just a dream.

"I guess it really was a dream." He told himself silently.

Surprisingly, John didn't find himself upset with Cameron. In fact, he didn't blame her at all. Was he getting more level headed? Was he getting more mature? Of course he wanted Cameron to admit she loved him, but he began to wonder if he was demanding too much from Cameron. Maybe it was his fault and not hers.

John did not realize something, however. Cameron wasn't finished speaking yet. Cameron's mouth opened to say something else while he was not paying attention.

She said, "…but."

John grabbed on that word for dear life. What could this possibly mean? What does this 'but' have to do with anything? Maybe Cameron did share feelings for him?

He tried to withhold himself from screaming, "But what? But what?"

She finished, "…but I want too."

"You want to love me?" John replied in an almost exuberant tone.

John smiled brightly.

Cameron's head tilted towards the ceiling and her mouth opened curiously, exposing her two front teeth.

She said in innocent fashion, "I think so."

John smiled curiously and suggested in a humorous tone, "Why do you think that is? Is it my charming good looks? How about my wonderful personality?"

Cameron deadpanned, "No."

John couldn't say Cameron was wrong. He did not think any of those things were really that great either.

"What is it then?" He asked.

Cameron said, "I'm worthless without you."

John looked at her upon that realization. Cameron had no point in being here without John. Only at that moment did John realize that if he ever died, Cameron would have no real purpose. After all, Derek hated her. Sarah Connor did not really save her because she wanted to. And worst of all, Cameron wouldn't want to stay around either. The thought terrorized John, yet comforted him to know that his cyborg companion would stick around just so long as he did.

John's voice softened, "You don't have to say things like that Cameron. You're worth everything to me."

Cameron answered, "But not if you're dead. I can't lose you. I left 2027 to preserve the resistance and protect you from Skynet. I will continue to do so now."

"Even though you already accomplished your mission?" John replied.

Cameron countered, "My mission is not over yet. Weaver's resistance has not yet reached its highest potential. You are still young and the resistance is not ready for you. There is still much to do…I have to go."

The sudden indication that she wanted to leave through John off the rails. Cameron wanted to leave so suddenly? John wondered if perhaps Cameron was uncomfortable. He quickly scooted closer to Cameron and caught her hand, "Cameron, wait."

Cameron was already off the bed, but stopped to stare at him. Her eyes lowered to see John tightly grasping her hand. It was something about John holding her hand that made her freeze. She could feel her sensors detecting warmth and movement on her hand. To her, it felt wonderful, but she didn't tell John that.

John said, "Look, I don't know what to think. I mean, what love is for you is not the same for me…but…look, I'm not mad at you. Just stay with me. Please, just stay here…just a little wile longer? Please? I…I miss you, you know, before all of this, we've barely did anything together."

Cameron paused, forcing John to wait long and hard for a response. Her eyes never left the sight of their hands intertwined. After a few seconds of processing, she nodded and she sat back down text to John. Cameron figured that if John needed her this way, she'd be there for him.

Meanwhile, John thought to himself that maybe a cyborg could have feelings. Maybe she could love him the way he dreamed she could. He had to believe it. John suddenly felt the urge to give Cameron a kiss on her cheek. Part of him thought that if he could show Cameron more affection, that she could somehow understand the reasons behind that affection. Coincidentally, Cameron's head turned at the exact same time as John's. They faced each other. Their noses were so close together, each could feel the warm breath traveling from one face to the other. Noticing the close proximity between her face and his, the cyborg felt John's heart beating faster. Glancing at his dilated eyes, John seemed lost, waiting for her to give him direction. Based on past experiences and statistical analysis, Cameron determined that there was a 84 % chance John wanted affection. But she couldn't be sure. If she made the wrong move, she could risk upsetting John. That would be potentially disastrous. She needed to be sure this is what John wanted.

She asked, "Will you kiss me now?"

John paused. His heart skipped a beat. He felt really warm. He felt like he was overheating in every single part of his body. John didn't know why, but he did that every time Cameron said something like that. Maybe it was because Cameron spoke of kissing as if it was just some normal casual thing between humans and cyborgs.

John smiled, nodded, and leaned in closer to her. He breathed in her scent. She smelled exactly like she always did, like pollution. She smelled great, though. He got closer. His nose was just about to touch hers. Finally, their faces came together. John pressed his lips on hers again. He felt her lips. They were soft and warm. They tasted kind of sweet, but maybe that was just his own mind convincing him it was true. After a mere thirty seconds of making out, John gasped, desperately lunging for air. John noticed Cameron didn't moan, gasp, or even stop, she just kept kissing, turning, and even sucking. John couldn't remember the last time he kissed a girl, but he knew no one would ever match his Cameron. Whenever John pulled away from her face gasping for breath, Cameron would just stare at him, waiting for more…waiting for him to attack her with his lips once again. As soon as John was ready, he just went right back in for more. Cameron was very proud though. She thought she was doing everything right. She even dutifully remembered to close her eyes while making out. She knew that in television shows, it was rude to keep her eyes open when kissing. She didn't understand why, but she figured John would probably like it if she followed those norms.

John enjoyed kissing her, even if she was a machine. To be honest, he wasn't just enjoying it, he was exhilarated. His mind completely forgot where he was, who he was, or what he was meant to be. It was only that single name that clouded his mind.

Cameron, Cameron, Cameron, Cameron...

There was something so curious, so passionate, and so rebellious in loving a terminator and breaking the status quo. Maybe that was one of those traits that destined him to become a leader. But in this moment, John didn't really care.

John wrapped his arms around her slender waist. She was so small and petite, that he could feel his arms go all the way around her. He felt her kissing back even harder, something she probably learned from the last time they kissed. John transitioned himself off her lips and onto her cheek. Finally, he made his way towards her neck, allowing Cameron to expose her neck to him. Finally, he started feeling under her back. His hands moved upwards until he felt strap of her bra obstructing the gliding of his hands over her smooth skin. John didn't know what he was doing, but it sure felt great.

John felt that renewed sensation in the pit of his stomach. The feeling never left him. He wanted to be close to her. He wanted to love her and never stop. Everything Cameron did for him, he had to believe she did out of love and not instruction. He had to believe it. And now he felt happy. Even though he didn't always show it, John was happy to be with Cameron. And perhaps, Cameron was happy too.

 **Subject: John Connor**

 **Action: Get some "Lip Action"**

 **Mission Status: Completed**

* * *

Allison couldn't find Cameron or John anywhere. She didn't want to believe it, but if John and Cameron were not anywhere to be found, that could only mean one thing. They were together. She ran after John's bunker. When she got there, she saw no sign of John or Cameron on the inside. She stood several meters away, only glancing at the window. Seeing no activity, she figured she'd call him on his radio. Suddenly, she heard a thud. Then she saw someone through the window getting slammed against a wall. Allison jumped, ready to reach for her gun. Maybe it was a terminator. Maybe it was an attacker. But then she saw something that shocked her.

For the first time ever, she saw the unimaginable. Her mind froze. Her heart rate spiked as adrenaline, fear, sadness, and anger traced through her veins. Completely stunned and mouth agape, she witnessed the terror of the inevitable outcome. Through the window, she saw John approach Cameron pressed against a wall. Stricken to her core, Allison watched as John grabbed the terminator's face, and pressed his lips on the beautiful cyborg. Allison realized she could not even move as her legs were paralyzed in terror and hatred.

Allison Young felt her world come crashing down. Everything she worked for…it was all for nothing. She always believed that if anyone worked hard enough at something, they could get whatever the hell they wanted. She always believed that if she reached for the stars she would govern the galaxies. That's what Kyle told her. Even a pessimistic uncle Jay believed it was possible. But now she knew that was wrong. She realized that maybe…just maybe that crazy thing called "hope" was just a bunch of bullshit. It dawned on her that maybe…just maybe they would not win the war against Skynet. She used to be so happy and hopeful. But now she wasn't.

Allison immediately learned something from the horrible sight before her eyes. The old optimistic Allison was dying ever since she met John Connor. But now she was dead.

Shaking herself out of her own trance, she stumbled towards her bunker as fast as her weakened legs would take her. When she got there, she scrambled to open the door hoping she could get in before she'd break down crying. But it was too late, her emotions took hold of her. No therapy in the whole world could help the way she was feeling. She started gasping for air and coughing excessively. She fumbled pushing the passcode into security system before she opened the door and slammed it shut. She threw her gun on her bed and slipped off her favorite purple jacket. She took a good long look at the jacket Cameron gave her, trying to decide whether she'd keep it or burn it. She couldn't come up with a decision, so she tossed it on the bed. She sat down on the bed, struggled to take off her boots, and then finally crossed her arms to strip off her shirt. She slowly unbuttoned her jeans. Before she knew it, a totally naked Allison was turning the faucet lever praying for a sudden blast of water to come out of the showerhead. She jumped right into her shower, not caring if it the water was cold or not.

Within a moment, the water bolted towards her body. It was freezing cold. She didn't care though. The sobbing girl didn't feel any different. Her tears mixed in with the water that flowed over her face. She sank down to the corner of the shower. Conveniently, the water got much warmer, but it didn't matter. Allison was still cold.

* * *

Martin Bedell took it seriously when John Henry contacted him over the radio for his assistance. What seemed even more concerning was the fact that the AI specifically asked for him to come alone.

While making his way there, he asked himself, "What could John Henry possibly want from me? Can't he tell I'm not a big fan of him or those machines?"

Ever since John saved him from the T-888 at his military school, Bedell hated those metal things. He wasn't afraid of Skynet and definitely wasn't afraid of terminators, but those metal things nearly drove him crazy as a young kid. He kept reliving that moment over and over again as he watched Derek and John melt the T-888 away.

Keeping alert, he entered John Henry's room, he said to the AI, "What's wrong John Henry?! Why'd you call me here?"

John Henry, who was working on something in his CPU brain, said, "Hello Captain Bedell. It is good to see you. I just wanted to tell you that our HK is preoccupied."

Martin Bedell frowned, "Preoccupied how?"

John Henry answered, "It was supposed to be escorting Sarah Connor and Derek Reese to an undisclosed location to locate Charles Fischer. However, its flight path has been altered because it is currently engaging with two resistance A-10 Thunderbolts from LA airforce."

He said in a bit of a panic, "What? How? You mean…they're in a dogfight? Why? How? Why are you telling me this?"

John Henry assured him, "Don't worry, the HK will escape easily. I am controlling it directly rather than leaving it to its own defence. John Connor has asked me not let any resistance soldiers die, even if they threaten to harm us."

"But John Henry, why am I here? How can I help you?" He reiterated.

John Henry explained, "I believe these resistance aircraft are directing a planned assault against Ziera base. A resistance army is planning to attack us."

Bedell couldn't completely comprehend what John Henry was saying. They had just made peace with San Bernardino and now some some resistance army was trying to attack them?

Bedell barked, "What? Did you tell John about this? Did you tell General Perry or even Lieutenant Reese? Whose behind this anyway? I thought we were on a peace agreement with San Bernardino. Why would anyone ever attack us?"

John Henry answered, "It is most probably a result of the General Lesley is working against us."

"That's a pretty big accusation John Henry. How the hell do you know that?" Bedell began to grow worried. He felt as if John Henry was asking for more trouble than he bargained for.

He responded to the concerned Captain, "I have intercepted General Lesley's radio signal under the direction of Ms. Phillips. She is conspiring with at least one other conspirator."

Bedell frowned, "Whose Ms. Phillips?"

"Ms. Baum then?" John Henry said.

He said again, "And whose Ms. Baum?"

John Henry summarized, "I am speaking of Ms. Cameron Phillips; she is a terminator designed to infiltrate the resistance under the presumed identity of Allison Young…"

Bedell interrupted anxiously, "…oh, you mean Cameron! Ah, well. Um, where is Lesley right now? We need to find her."

"She is observing our infantry at training grounds." John Henry informed him.

Bedell darted towards the exit, "We have to arrest her, now!"

John Henry warned, "You cannot do that Captain."

Bedell shouted back, "Watch me."

Before Bedell could make it half way, the Captain felt a hand press down on his chest cutting off his momentum. Someone was holding him back.

Before he could lash out in self defense, a soft raspy voice replied, "Please don't."

Bedell knew that voice. It was John Connor. Bedell didn't see John in the room when he came in, so he figured he just got there in the nick of time..

"Why?" Bedell demanded furiously, "We have to get her while we still have the chance!"

John Henry, now behind him, said in John's defense, "John Connor said we should see what General Lesley does first. It's the only way to find them."

Bedell craned his neck around to face John Henry, "Find whom?"

John answered, "The conspirators. All we know is that General Lesley is working with multiple people in some of a conspiracy against Ziera base. Based on all updated information John Henry has given me, all I can really say is that this is a conspiracy must possess an army. Bedell, I think it's a covert alliance of people from all across resistance who hate machines. Some could be in here at Ziera base too."

The Captain pressed for more answers, "Do we know what their goal is, this conspiracy?"

John surmised, "I wouldn't know. Perhaps this alliance came together after San Bernardino compromised on its 'no-terminators' policy."

Bedell suggested, "So is this why you wont' tell Derek? Is it because you suspect him from playing a part in this organization?"

John frowned, "No, I'm just keeping it on the down low for everyone. Please Captain, you've got to trust me. I have a plan and I need your help to execute it."

"What does it involve exactly, this plan of yours?"

"Well, it involves Joan and Becky Lesley." John said.

Bedell tilted his head curiously, "Wait, are you saying that those two women whose last names are Lesley are somehow related to the General?" He asked

"Yep." John smiled mischievously.

"And what do you expect us to do, blackmail the General by threatening her two daughters?" Bedell eyed him strangely.

John shook his head, almost offended Bedell would ask such a question, "No, I'd never do that and I hope I never come to a point where I'm willing to do that."

"So what's your plan?" He asked.

"Come with me in private. I've talked to Cameron and Savannah about it already. We'll debrief you together."

Bedell replied, "Sure, but are you going to talk to Kyle? Aren't you going to tell him about this plan of yours?"

John said, "I actually do want to talk to him. I'm convinced I should speak to him. But my dad Kyle made a promise to Derek that he'd never keep anything from him. If I tell Kyle Reese, Derek is bound to know, and that could really blow this thing wide open once Derek finds out. I'm going to have to wait on that."

Bedell answered, "You will talk to Sergeant Reese though, right? You really have to talk to him."

John sighed, "Yeah…yeah, of course I will."

"Hey John."

"Yeah Captain?"

"Something seems off about you. You seem...flustered."

John suddenly felt self conscious about the way he looked. His hair was combed, his clothes were neat, and yet somehow Bedel could detect something was up.

John faked a laugh, "Why? What's wrong?"

Bedell waved him off, "Oh, maybe it's just me. Forget about it."

* * *

 **While in Intelligence HQ…**

"Corporal Will. Sir, Corporal Will?"

Private Johnson couldn't understand what was going on with Corporal Will. He seemed too distant recently and his constant daydreaming was troubling the men. Some thought that he was suffering from PTSD while others thought that he was just sad. Nevertheless, the increased workload Private Johnson had to endure ever since Will lost his head drove him nuts. It got so bad that Johnson had to speak up, regardless of the repercussions.

Johnson repeated in an obnoxiously gruff voice, "Corporal, Sir!"

Quickly, Will snapped back into reality, "Huh? Yep…um yes."

Johnson said, "Are you certain you've recovered? Are you sure you don't need another trip to the infirmary?"

"No Private. You don't need to worry about me." He said.

Will quickly glanced around him to see that he was standing up staring at a blank concrete wall. The first thoughts that flowed through Will's head was, "where am I?" and "what was I doing just now?"

When Will finally bothered to look, Johnson bravely said, "You need to tell her, sir."

"Tell who what?" Will asked.

Johnson shot back, "I'm serious. You need to tell Allison Young everything."

"But...I can't." Will shook his head.

Will suddenly regretted telling his colleague and good friend Johnson everything about his personal life. He knew he could trust Johnson, but his thing with Allison was not something he wanted to advertise to the world.

"She deserves the truth." Private Johnson argued.

Will's eyes suddenly lost focus in another daze, "But Allison Young, she's so happy. She's so strong and independent. You know what they say. Ignorance is bliss? Maybe she doesn't need to know anything about me or her family."

Johnson replied, "You don't think she'd want to know what happened to her parents?"

Will explained, "Look, she's at peace. Why do I have to turn her life upside down?"

"It's the right thing to do. If something happened to a close relative or friend, wouldn't you want someone to tell you what happened no matter how ugly the truth was?" He said.

"Y-yeah." Will admitted.

Johnson nodded, "Good. You've been holding this back too long. You need to tell her. You and I both know she deserves the truth."

"Fine. Tomorrow." He announced.

Johnson shouted, "Goodness gracious! I meant now! Tell her now."

"Nah, tomorrow." He said stubbornly.

Johnson shook his head in regret, "You're just as stubborn as she is, you know that?"

"Yep."

* * *

Savannah felt tired as ever. She exhausted herself over the incompetent men who couldn't fix a damn Jeep. But that's not the part that bothered her. It was the fact that she spent all her time trying to fix something that wasn't really broken. So what if the regulator valve makes noise when the transmission is in reverse. She convinced herself she'd have a word with Derek. After all, what's the point of being able to shoot terminators if you can't even start fix a freaking car. She rested herself on the steps of a warehouse, waiting for her initial exhaustion to pass through. She felt a sudden brush of air flow towards her face, causing her to open her eyes to investigate this breeze. To her delight, she found her beloved Kyle standing above her.

She smiled brightly, "Hey Kyle, how have you been?"

"I've been good. I'm sorry I haven't talked to you in a while." He said as he crunched down to meet Savannah's height.

Savannah sighed, "I know it's my fault."

Kyle laughed, "Hold on, it's both of our faults. We've been so busy lately, we've kind of let things slow down a bit. That's kind of why I wanted to talk to you."

Panic shot through Savannah's head, "You're breaking up with me?! No! Listen Kyle, I'm sorry I've been a little busy but I've been faithful this entire time. I didn't see anyone else…I…"

Kyle covered her mouth with his hand, "No, you're misreading the situation. That's not what I mean. Look, Derek has been telling me that I need to assess our relationship."

Savannah grabbed Kyle's hand and ripped away from her mouth.

She quickly said, "You're taking advice from Derek? He's never been with a woman his entire life! What's he know?"

Kyle replied, "He doesn't think we're taking this relationship seriously. That's what he told me before he left to go look for Jason's friend."

Savannah assured him, "Don't listen to him. Kyle, we are taking this seriously."

Kyle smiled, "I know that Savannah. That's why I want us to prove it to each other."

"What do you mean? Prove how?"

Kyle got down on his one knee and held onto Savannah's hand.

"Savannah Weaver, will you…?"

The things going through Savannah's mind were completely impossible to comprehend. She threw her hand on Kyle's mouth, refusing to let him utter those last two words.

Savannah protested, "But…but we only know each other…"

Kyle said in a muffled voice, "Mmph grl drsh doo."

Savannah politely and apologetically moved her hand away from Kyle's face, "Oh sorry."

Kyle confidently said with the affirming squeeze of her hand, "Savannah, we've known each other for months. If you really want to be with me, then be with me. Please tell me you'll think about it."

"Yes! Of course I will! I promise. But if you…if you really want to…well, you've got to do it in front of everyone. I've always dreamed of this day…and it's hear!"

"Of course."

Savannah grabbed Kyle and kissed him ferociously.

After a few quick smacks, she said, "Oh my goodness, I have to tell Allison what happened! Oh my goodness! This is happening alright!"

Savannah also had it in mind to tell Cameron, but in seeing that Cameron's reaction would probably be a dubious response like 'Why do humans marry?' she knew she had to tell Allison first. She got up and ran towards her bunker

"Where are you going?" Kyle asked.

She screamed, "I have to find Allison! I need to tell her the best news ever. I feel so happy, not even Skynet can make me feel sad!"

* * *

Savannah raced towards her bunker. However, she noticed that Allison's door was wide open. She walked in slowly, unsure of why she'd do something so irresponsible.

"Allison, hey Allison? What are you…"

Savannah gasped in fright.

Savannah saw Allison, sprawled over her own bed, dressed only in her undergarments holding a glass full of a very suspicious substance. She knew had to be alcohol. The scene was so shocking, she thought it might be a prank. But how could it be a prank? That was real alcohol. Savannah quickly forgot about Kyle's proposal when the strong whiff of whisky flowing into her nostrils. In serious concern, Savannah lunged forward grabbing the bottle away from the dreary drunken woman named Allison Young. Savannah quickly poured the liquid into a sink and through the bottle into a trash bin. She raced back towards Allison to see how she was doing.

She grabbed Allison and shook her violently, "Allison? Allison? Are you alright?! Speak to me."

Allison lay their unresponsive. Savannah felt for her pulse, screaming in relief that she could feel a pulse.

Finally, she heard a groan and a small voice grumbling, "Ooh, I think I'm going to be sick."

Savannah said, "Oh dear. Oh Allison."

She immediately picked Allison up, putting her arm around her shoulder, and hauling a half conscious Allison to the bathroom. Just as soon as the two reached the sink, Allison lunged forward, throwing up in the sink. She slumped over the counter, giving Savannah the cue to carry her back to her bed. Seeing that she was awake, she knew she had to figure out what was wrong with her. She gently dragged her onto the bed, resting Allisons's head on a pillow. She sat down on the bed just next to Allison and checked her forehead. She didn't seem sick at all. She was just inebriated. Something had to be dreadfully wrong. Allison never drank alcohol, ever.

"Allison, you don't drink alcohol. Why are you starting now? And why so much? What's wrong with you?!" She shot all those questions faster than a machine gun could spray out bullets.

Allison didn't seem completely responsive, almost as if she was still lost in her own little world. She was drunk, of course, and that scared Savannah.

Allison murmured, "I like purple…purple is a nice color."

Savannah repeated, "Allison, why are you drunk? Why are you so sick? What's the matter?"

"John is…he's…" She cut herself off.

Savannah demanded, "He's what?! What about John?"

"He's b-bad…he.." She murmured again.

"He's bad how?" Savannah asked.

"He k-kissed her. He…I saw him mmm…kiss her."

"What are you saying? Did you see John kiss Cameron?" Savannah suggested.

"I feel sleepy." Allison murmured as her eyes slowly drooped.

Savannah said determinedly, "Come on Allison, you have to tell me."

Allison erupted in a loud bit of snoring.

Savannah suddenly realized how a quick turn of events had changed everything. She had come all the way to tell Allison how great life was going for herself. She was going to get married if she wanted to. She was reaching for the stars while Allison's rocket ship came crashing down. Savannah realized that she might have to delay that marriage for Allison's sake. She was going to need the help. Savannah could tell Allison saw something she wasn't supposed to see.

"I have to help her." Savannah thought, "I really, really do."

* * *

Corporal Will watched longingly at Allison's bunker. She saw Savannah Weaver race right in, but she never got out. He wanted to knock on her door and speak to her, but he just couldn't do it. His feet were glued to the ground, trying and failing to look all casual and normal around everyone. It was so ironic though. Allison had spent a lot of time with him while he was recovering in the hospital, but for some odd reason, he couldn't even look at her anymore. His heart kept racing and his light-headedness was killing him.

Will finally worked up the courage to march down there and just say it straight to her. She didn't have to like it, but it needed to be done. But before he could push forward, the door to her bunker suddenly swung open and there a red-headed woman, or blonde, he really couldn't tell, marched out of bunker with lightning speed. Will, hid behind a corner, eyeing her complexion, noticing there was a serious look on her face. At the pace she was moving, Will figured that she probably had an argument with Allison. That was bad. If Savannah Weaver was angry, that must mean that Allison was angry too. If Allison was angry, then that meant it would have been a bad time to tell her.

He told himself, "Perhaps tomorrow. It'll probably be better to talk to her tomorrow when she's in a good mood."

Secretly, he knew in his mind that he couldn't keep delaying it. He kept convincing himself that Allison wasn't ready to hear it. He realized, however, that maybe he himself was not ready to tell her.

He told himself out loud in a rather erratic fashion, "Can anyone truly be ready for the bomb I'm about to drop on her? Figuratively of course. I wouldn't want to drop a real bomb on her because that'd be murder. I wouldn't want to do that."

Will had talked to himself so much, he nearly forgot where he was going.

He suddenly collided with another body, "Oomph!"

When Will realized who he had run into, he suddenly grew nervous. He had knocked Savannah Weaver to the ground.

With a hectic apology, he said, "I'm so sorry Ms. Weaver, I didn't pay attention to where I was going."

Will noticed there were a bunch of medical supplies inside of her a large black bag that were knocked to the ground. Savannah was probably carrying them with her before the two of them collided with each other.

Savannah responded as Will helped her up, "Oh that's fine, I don't think I was looking to see where I was going either."

Will asked, "What are you doing with all the meds?"

Savannah Weaver smiled, "Oh, I'm just helping a friend out, she's kind of sick."

 _Helping a friend out? Is she talking about Allison? So they weren't having an argument?_

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Will replied.

Savannah quirked an eyebrow, "So how do you know my name?"

Will stumbled around before finding an answer, "Um…well, while I was in the hospital…Allison Young told me about every single one of you. She told me about…literally everyone."

"So you know about John Henry?"

"One of the few who do, yes. I promise I won't tell though."

"Ah, I see." She nodded.

Will found his cue to leave, "Um, uh…yes. Well…ahem! I shouldn't keep you. Enjoy the rest of your afternoon. Hope your friend feels better."

"Sure thing." She said sweetly.

Savannah gathered the last of her belongings back into her bag and skipped away in Allison's direction. Will immediately checked his watch to see if it was afternoon yet. He had a few errands to run.

* * *

 **Back in Allison's bunker…**

Savannah opened Allison's medicine cabinet and mixed the pills in her bag with the ones that Allison already had. She switched on the faucet, allowing some water to fill a glass she brought with her. With pills in one hand and a glass in the other, she approached the bedridden Allison to give her the medication.

"What's this?" Allison said.

Savannah took a good long glance at Allison. She saw that her skin was pale, her eyes were tired, and all her passion and drive was gone. She seemed sick on the outside, but the way she behaved on the inside disturbed her.

Savannah answered, "This is a combination of pills I like to call anti-hangover medication. Trust me, it will help you out."

Allison nodded, stretching out her hand to take both objects from her hand.

Just as she popped down the pills, Savannah watched her and said, "Allison, I've been patient enough with you. Are you going to tell me what's going on?"

"It's no big deal."

"I know it is a big deal. What did you see John and Cameron doing? Were they making out?"

"It was more than that. They were touching each other. They were playing around. I saw something that hurt me more than all of that."

"What is it?"

"I kind of knew deep on the inside that John did those things with Cameron, but I never imagined I'd see it."

"See what? What are you talking about?"

"I saw happiness. I saw happiness."

"But you like happiness."

"I do, but when I saw John…kissing her…I knew that I was not happy. I can never be happy. I'll never be happy!"

Allison seemed to be on the verge of crying once again.

Savannah said, "Allison, you know that John kissed Cameron before. Why are you suddenly upset now?"

"Because I never imagined it could be true. I convinced myself that it was all a lie, or a ploy. In reality, I was just trying divert the pain away. But now that I saw it, it hurts. It disgusts me. I hate it. I hate the fact that John is happy with a clueless cyborg and not me!"

Savannah frowned, "So what, you're just throwing in the towel? You're just going to give up on him?"

"Why? What reason do I have to stay?" She said.

Savannah explained, "You've never given up on something before."

Allison argued, "Tell me Allison. In your opinion, do you think that John would ever choose me over her?"

Savannah admitted, "John grew up alone and without anyone to talk to. One day, a cyborg comes along, befriends him, and takes care of him. You and I both know he's going to feel very attached to her more strongly than he would for you."

Allison returned fire, "You didn't answer my question. Be honest with me as my friend. Do you think John would ever pick me over Cameron?"

"Unless, God forbid, John lost Cameron, no, I don't think so." She confessed.

"Well then, that answers your question doesn't it? It's impossible."

"Come on Allison. Be objective for one second. The odds aren't in your favor, but giving up like this just doesn't suit you. Really, I think you need to take some time off before you make an informed decision."

Allison said mysteriously, "Savannah, where were you on all of this?"

"What do you mean where was I on all of this?"

"When I tried to impress John, whose side were you on? Mine or Cameron's?" Allison asked.

Savannah stepped back, "I don't ever get between people and their relationships."

"Really? Objectively speaking, don't you think it would make sense to support a human over a terminator?" Allison said.

"Hey, don't put this on me. I like you and I like Cameron. I won't choose one over the other." Savannah snapped.

"Interesting." Allison got up immediately, reaching towards her clothes.

"Allison, where are you going?"

"Where am I going? I'm going to be objective of course."

"Where are you going? What are you doing? You're still light-headed." She warned.

Allison didn't bother answer. Even though Savannah didn't know it yet, Allison made her way towards John Henry, and she was about to ask the AI a question that would determine the fate of Cameron Phillips.

* * *

When Savannah left Allison's bunker, she spotted Martin Bedell leaning on the walls of the Intelligence HQ building. He seemed fixating on something.

She knew Martin Bedell was staring at somebody, prompting her curiosity to find out who it was. She looked further ahead to find General Lesley speaking to another colleague. Savannah looked at him confusingly, and then she suddenly realized what was going on.

She said, "Oh, you seem to be scouring her every move aren't you?"

Bedell didn't take her eyes off her to look at Savannah. Rather he stayed solidly in his same position.

He said, "Yeah, well when one of your own betrays you…well, let's just say that we don't take kindly to it."

Savannah sympathized, "Captain, I think you need to understand. These guys grew up, lost everything close to them because of Skynet…because of the machines. They never knew John the way and I do. Lesley believes that she's doing the right thing whether you like it or not. We have to turn her to our side if we can, you know that right? We can't just throw her into prison and expect all her colleagues to cooperate with us."

"Yeah, I know that. But that's not all that's bothering me. I mean, we don't know who these conspirators are. Lesley's our only connection to them. What's worse is that we don't know where they are or if they're on this base. It's driving me crazy. And you know what's even worse. Skynet hasn't done anything for weeks. They've been too silent to be up to nothing. They're planning something. I can feel it Savannah. We have to be ready and we have to be able to trust each other when things go to hell."

Savannah flinched at Bedell's terrifying prophesy and instead changed the subject to something a bit more positive.

She said positively, "Well, there's something I wanted to ask you about. I hear you have quite the reputation for solving people's problems."

"It's what I do. This injury to my leg has forced me to help the resistance in other ways. So I train soldiers and I help people get out of tough situations."

"Hmph, well I think I'm a pretty good problem solver too."

"I didn't say you weren't." He countered.

"But you…?"

Bedell cut her off, "…There are no buts. I think you're a great problem solver."

Savannah smiled, "Good answers. You really are pretty good at diffusing quarrelsome situations."

"Like I said, I'm good at what I do."

"Well, I need your help on something. You said that we need to trust each other as a team, so I think you can help."

"What is this about?" He said.

Savannah replied, "Well, it's the character dynamics. It's ruining this team."

"What team? What dynamics?"

Savannah smiled like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Don't you see how me, Derek, Kyle, John, Allison, and everyone else all work together on Ziera base? We're like a team aren't we?"

Put in that perspective, Bedell agreed, "Yeah, I guess you can say that."

Savannah said, "Well, if you've been hanging around lately, you'll notice something really significant."

"What's that?" He asked.

She answered, "Everyone hates somebody."

"What do you mean? I don't understand. What do you mean by everybody hates somebody?" He repeated.

Savannah informed him, "Well, Allison really hates John right now. Derek really hates Cameron. And Kyle and Sarah still have stuff to talk about."

"Yeah, I've noticed that." He said.

Savannah offered up her idea, "Well, I've been thinking that maybe, just maybe, we can solve this problem."

"How do you propose we do that?" He said suspiciously.

Savannah looked around first, making sure no one was listening.

She swiftly whispered in the Captain's ear, "Well, to put is simply, we should force each pair in a room and make them…you know, sort out all their problems."

Bedell thought about it for a second.

Then he said something that no one would have expected, "Well I'm down for that."

Savannah smiled, "Great, let's do it. I know it's irresponsible, but behaving like a grownup is so out of fashion these days."

Bedell cautioned, "You do realize that this might fail and we'll get our asses kicked, right?"

"That's what makes it thrilling! Don't you miss those daredevil stuns you did in the resistance?" She humored.

"Of course I miss it."

Savannah said, "Oh, and before I forget, we should probably lock John in a room with Kyle and Sarah too though."

Bedell nodded, "Oh don't worry about that one. John's promised he will talk to both of them after this blows over."

"Alrighty. Let's get this on!"

Bedell rubbed his hands together vigorously, "Well, where do we start?"

* * *

 **In the mountains near Palmdale, California…**

Jason couldn't describe what he was feeling or the way he should feel. He felt like he had spoken to him just yesterday, but yet he knew he hadn't seen him in years.

Trying to withhold the excitement that inevitably took over, he said in an overly controlled manner, "Charles? What happened to you? I mean, really, what happened?"

Charles shouted back, "I've been here this whole time!"

"Doing what? Mugging people?" He exasperated.

Charles said, "No, what did you think I was doing?"

Jason replied, "I don't know! Who the hell are these burly brutes? Are they hired hands?"

Charles Fischer shook his head, "Of course not. And did you really think I'd just go back to the very resistance that you screwed both you and me over!"

Jason smiled, "You're right, you wouldn't go back. And you know what, I didn't go back, I went to work for an independent faction."

"What independent faction? You mean these are your men? They don't seem to be dressed like resistance soldiers." Charles noticed.

Obviously, typical resistance soldiers across California only wore what they could afford. However, thanks to the cyborg resistance, Derek's men got a brand new makeover in uniform. Only then did it cross Jason's mind that it was really just the plasma weapons that were standard issue.

Jason shook his head, "Most of these men are resistance, some of them are from my faction. But forget about me one second because I have all the time in the world to explain that later. What about you? I've been looking for you just like I promised. And really...I don't remember you having these many cronies last time we met."

"We've built up since then." Charles Fischer said.

Meanwhile, Derek and Sarah approached Jason and Charles from ahead. They had just come out of hiding only to realize the unknown army faction was actually friendly.

Sarah whispered into Derek's ear, "You've got to tell me. What do you know about this guy Jason? Why does he care so much about this guy that we come all the way out here looking for him? He doesn't seem in anyway special. He's old, fat, and he's got the hair of a caveman!"

Derek groaned in frustration, not sure how to answer Sarah's question.

Derek said reluctantly, "Look, when Jason deserted the resistance, he felt betrayed. When he thought he was going to die, this Fischer guy found him, brought him back to health, and convinced Jason to join his little ragtag army. At least that's all I know from what I've heard, but that's all I can really tell you."

She huffed, "Well, I guess I can understand why he's so devoted to finding him."

Derek agreed, "Yeah, well when you're devoted enough to finding someone, it just goes to show you how important that person is to you."

Sarah frowned deeply, thinking about John and Cameron, "Yeah."

Derek observed Sarah's frown, "Hey, what's wrong?"

She said, "Did John ever tell you why he went back?"

"To look for some guy named Cameron." Derek responded.

Sarah deduced, "And eventually, you found out that Cameron was…"

Derek interrupted, "…Yeah, a female machine. And yes General, I know what you're thinking about."

Sarah scowled, "Trust me, you don't know what I'm thinking about."

He replied rather confidently, "Well, I at least know one thing."

"What's that?" Sarah said.

Derek said it in an almost casual manner, "Killing the cyborg."

"I never." Sarah quickly said, almost as if she got caught red handed.

Derek smirked, "You mean to tell me that has never crossed your mind? Forget it. It doesn't matter, we both know you're not going to do it. You'd never kill that thing."

"How would you know? You don't know me." Sarah Connor said, pacing herself faster towards Jason and Charles.

Derek said, "No I don't know you. But what I do know is that you've never killed anyone in your life. And I know it was you that saved that cyborg's body even though you didn't have to. General, I know you won't kill a human. You never have and you never will."

"Cameron isn't human. It wouldn't matter if I got rid of her."

Derek answered, "That's the debate you have in our mind isn't it? Whether or not that thing's human? Well let me tell it to you straight. The metal is not human. It never will be. Get it through your head. I don't give a damn whether you kill Cameron, but I do give a damn whether it ends up hurting the people I love. I'm pretty sure that Cameron cyborg can be potentially harmful, but taking her out might be potentially harmful as well."

"What? At first it sounded like you wanted me kill Cameron. Now you sound like you're threatening me if I tried." Sarah said, curious as to where Derek was going with this.

Derek replied, "John Connor isn't the only one attached to her anymore."

"You're talking about Allison aren't you? She's attached to her isn't she?" Sarah suddenly realized.

The Lieutenant nodded, "Obviously. After all, isn't that what terminators are for? Infiltration? Aren't they supposed to pretend to be humans? Aren't they supposed to play with your human emotions? Aren't they supposed to be manipulate each of us until we accept those things as our own?"

"What are you saying? I don't understand." She demanded.

Derek shot back, "I don't know damn it! I don't know what to think of a machine that was built to impersonate my Allison! I want to kill it because I think it will hurt Allison! But I can't because it will hurt her too! I hate that machine. I hate its very existence. And worst of all, I hate the fact that this terminator you keep calling Cameron is working with Weaver to establish this batshit crazy thing you guys call the cyborg resistance."

"Get in line Reese. You're not the only one that feels that way."

Derek said, "Believe me. That's just one small part of what I'm feeling."

Sarah knew what Derek was talking about. There was far more than Cameron Phillips that occupied Derek Reese's mind.

Sarah said, "Listen, there's something I wanted to talk to you about. My cancer…"

But before Sarah could say anything to Derek, Jason watched Derek and Sarah coming towards them.

Jason excitedly announced, "Oh, General, Lieutenant, there you two are. I just wanted to introduce you to Charles Fischer. After numerous arguments about how the resistance is evil and wants to kill him, Fischer has agreed that he his men should be allowed to visit the base. They need supplies and I think we can help them."

Derek answered, "Hold on! Not just anyone is allowed on the base. We still have screening issues."

Jason waved him off, "Oh screw the rules. Let's just say that these men are considering a career change."

Sarah wondered, "What?! They want to join the resistance?"

"No, give me a break! They might want to join the cyborg resistance. They're so much more interesting and far less corrupt."

Sarah shouted, "Enough arguments! Screw it, we found him so let's go home. I'm tired."

Derek opened his mouth to speak, until he noticed something odd about Sarah. She was sweating profusely.

"Sarah, hey, what's wrong?"

Sarah ignored his concern, "I'm fine."

She took a step back, only to find herself losing balance.

Sarah wheezed, "I feel sick. I think I have a headache."

All of the sudden she collapsed, forcing Derek to lunge forward and catch her before her head slammed into the ground.

Derek screamed, "Sarah! No!"

She started coughing profusely, forcing Derek to put her down gently.

Now on the ground, Sarah said to Derek, "My chest…my…"

Derek repeatedly tapped Sarah's face, shaking her repeatedly, trying to keep her awake, "General, stay with me."

Sarah couldn't stay much longer. She actually couldn't see Derek anymore. Her vision got too blurry. Within a matter of seconds she couldn't see anything. Before she realized it was coming, she lost consciousness. Derek knew it. Her body stopped coughing and she went limp. Derek was paralyzed in fear. It was her cancer that caused this and he knew it. She was getting extremely sick and there was nothing he could do to stop the effects.

Derek shouted in a terrorizing panic, "Find me the medics now! We've got to get out of here now!"

* * *

 _Oh, it looks like Sarah Connor is in trouble. Next chapter will be lots of fun and full of funnier Jameron moments. We will also see if any of these characters can heal their wounds and learn to work better as a team. Finally, we will determine whether John can get out of this problematic situation with Lesley. Hopefully, Skynet will also reveal its plan too!  
_


	33. Going Rogue: Part 1

Chapter 33

* * *

 _Hi guys, I appreciate your patience. This chapter is titled Going Rogue: Part 1. Splitting the chapter will allow me to follow up on some minor subplots that haven't been addressed in the previous chapter like that of Savannah's and Jason's. Besides that, enjoy the chapter!  
_

* * *

Joan and Becky smiled brightly on their way out of the infirmary. They were very excited because they planned to meet up with a few cute boys they met only a day ago. It was an exciting time for them. They were so busy working that it took away time to do other things. This only made the occasion extra special for them.

On their way home, Becky said to her sister striding beside her, "What do you think we should wear to our dates?"

The thought made Becky feel very self-conscious. She thought her off-duty military pants made her look ugly. Would the boys hate it? She wasn't sure.

Joan flashed a relaxed smile, "Oh calm down, it's not like we have anything else to wear anyway. Fashion is so overrated."

Becky laughed, "Well, that's not something I ever thought you'd say."

While the two happy-go-lucky women wandered along their regular route back to their homes, the soft sound of footsteps behind them caught Joan's attention. Of course, Becky was still gossiping too much to notice, but Joan knew something was up. She looked back nervously, but found no one there.

Joan said to Becky, "Hey, did you hear something? I'm getting scared."

Becky replied, "No, what's wrong? What did you hear?"

Joan searched her surroundings frantically. She knew she heard something. It couldn't just be a coincidence that she'd hear footsteps in such a secluded location on base.

All of the sudden, two men out of nowhere grabbed them. In a desperate attempt to fight back, Joan went swinging and missing. On the corner of her eye, she discovered both aggressors were resistance soldiers. Unfortunately though, she could not recognize either of them. One went after Joan, while the other went after an even more frightened Becky.

Joan screamed, "What the hell are you doing you son of a bitch?! Let me go!"

Without making another sound, one soldier managed to pin Joan to the ground. He violently squeezed her windpipe, preventing her from calling out for help.

Even Becky, playing cat and mouse with her own attacker, figured out what was happening and managed to let out a cry, "HEEELLPPP…ungh!"

Getting thrown to the ground immediately stifled Becky's shrieks.

Unfortunately for Becky and Joan, no one was coming and there was no place to escape. They were cornered, caught, and pinned down. Even though Joan was on the ground, she could still see her kidnappers if she wanted to. Daring to open her eyes, she noticed that her kidnapper pulled some wet cloths out of his pocket. The man forced the damp cloth closer to her face. She tried hard to resist, shaking her head back and forth in a last ditch attempt to avoid it. But it was pointless.

In a matter of a few seconds, it was over. It really didn't matter anymore since both sisters fell rapidly into unconsciousness. Becky and Joan lied in the dirt unresponsive. The exhausted men sluggishly rose on their feet, gazing at Becky and Joan's lifeless bodies. Eventually, they got down again and carried their slumping bodies away.

While discreetly dragging them away, one soldier said to another, "Your girl still alive?"

His partner in crime replied, "Yeah, what about yours?"

The soldier answered, "She put up a big fight, but yeah she's breathing."

He nodded, "Good, let's load 'em up and put 'em in the truck. Hurry, we don't have much time."

Fortunately for Becky and Joan, their screams for help were not in vain. A little boy named James saw the whole thing through the corner of his eye. Only a minute ago, he left his home to run around the base and have fun, but when he heard the frightening screams at the far end of the military base, he grew really scared. Crawling behind a small crate, he peaked over the lid to see what was happening.

The boy panicked, "No!"

He couldn't believe what he saw. They pinned those women down and killed them! And now those monsters were dragging them away. He panicked and ran as far away as he could. He had to get away from those men. He was shocked and he wanted to cry. Why this day of all days? Why did he have to witness something so dreadful? He didn't know what to do. All he could do was keep running. He feared that maybe one of those evil men saw him and would hunt him down and kill him. Maybe they were grays. Maybe they were terminators. His conscience troubled him. How could he run away and keep quiet when those women needed her help? Maybe they were alive after all. Maybe they were dead. How would he know?

Darting through the base, he dodged all human traffic possible, still very unsure of what he should do or where to go. Again, his mind flashed back to the incident, watching those nice ladies getting dragged away. Only then did he realize something. He knew them. In fact, he really liked Joan and Becky. He remembered one of those women patched up a bruise he got when he fell down some stairs two months ago. She was really nice to him and she smiled a lot. But what was her name? He didn't remember, but she liked her. She smiled a lot like the way his mother did before his dad died.

The thought of his mother and father only urged him to run faster. He had to get away. He had to get away. If he told his mother what happened, she'd probably dismiss his stories and scold him for lying. Maybe he could…

OOMPH!

The boy had collided with someone. The odd thing was that he felt he had run right into a sturdy tree. Lying flat in the ground, the dizzy boy rubbed his eyes to see who he had crashed into. It was Cameron the terminator who towered above him. With the use of his legs, the boy desperately pushed himself away for her. Seeing her tall and rigid body only struck fear into his soul. He could tell this was Cameron and not Allison by the way her eyes looked. They were so cold and lifeless. They were staring unnervingly into him and penetrating him to the deepest core. He suddenly feared that Cameron would do something to him. Maybe she'd kill him. He knew it wasn't a rational thing to think, but he was kid, so why would he care? Those men must have sent Cameron to find him and finish him off.

He panicked and instinctively did something that could only seal his fate. Oh what a blunder he was about to make.

He said to her, "They took them away! They took them away! Please don't kill me! I won't tell anyone! It's just not right!"

Cameron tilted her head confusedly, "Took who away?"

Cameron had just decided to go out and check the perimeters, only to collide with this seemingly deluded boy. What was he really panicking about? Why would this boy think she wanted to kill him? Cameron knew that the boy might be trying to fool around with her. John explained to her once that little boys were dumb and loved to imagine realities that were simply not true.

Unfortunately, Cameron couldn't understand why boys' heads were "always up in the clouds" as John liked to say. Maybe it had something to do with the development of their brain that made them do that. Nevertheless, Cameron had to figure out whether to take the boy seriously. Oddly enough, she wasn't quite sure how to interact with little boys at all. She knew she wasn't very experienced with talking to young kids. Where was Savannah when you needed her most? Tut-tut.

The boy continued his rant, "They took Becca away! They threw them into a truck and took them away! They went out the open gate! They took her! I saw them take them! They're in trouble!"

Much to James' own astonishment, he actually remembered Rebecca's name. He remembered she called herself Becca...or was it Becky? Yes, that was it. Meanwhile, Cameron fell deeper into confusion. First this young boy is referring to one person named 'Becca' and then he's referring to 'them'. Who's them? Is this Becca representative of more than one person? From Cameron's perspective, he made no sense.

"Becca?" Cameron queried, hoping the boy could somehow elaborate his nonsensical speech.

She still wasn't sure who or what this boy was talking about. She struggled to process anything in her CPU.

The sound of footsteps approaching caught both Cameron and James' attention. No, it wasn't the kidnappers coming after him. It was worse. It was James' mom. Her loud motherly voice rang out, "James! What the…! James! Get back here! Get away from that thing! Look at her clothing! Don't you know it's a machine?! Machines are dangerous! You should know better!"

Cameron's eyes lifted away from the boy named "James" to find his presumptive mother calling for him. The boy didn't immediately respond to his mom's bellowing voice. He just lied there in the dirt, eyeing Cameron with fear and seriousness mixed in. As soon as the boy's mom got there, she crouched down next to her son James and protectively hugged the little boy. The mother seemed convinced that Cameron scared her. She glared at Cameron prejudicially while helping her son back onto her feet.

The mother said to James, "James! What were you thinking, running into metal like that? Don't you know how dangerous that is? You know what, we'll talk about this later. Come along let's go, no more running around like that anymore."

James struggled in an attempt to resist his mother's grasp.

He said to her, "Mommy, I saw something. Let me go!"

The mother ignored his pleas and squeezed his arm even harder, "Listen son, I'm sure you saw lots of things. Now come along."

"No!" He refused.

The mother shot back, "Don't you ever say 'no' to me again! Do you hear me?"

James screamed out, "When will it be over mommy? When will it be over? I want it to be over! I don't like it when people get hurt!"

By this time, the boy's crying caught the attention of everyone around. Even Cameron noticed that the anxious James was getting a bit too much attention than he really needed. Hearing her son's cries, the mother stopped to look in her son's eyes. His crying only made her heart break. Taking a deep breath, her face softened. She stroked her son's cheek and gently hugged her son. She needed to calm him down. Luckily, it worked. He was calm.

She said softly to him, "I know what you're feeling son. And I'm scared too. I want it to be over, but it won't be until all these machines are destroyed. Maybe that won't happen today, but it will happen one day soon. That's what your father would have wanted and that's exactly what will happen. It's okay James. I promise everything will be okay. Alright?"

The emotional boy said, "Okay mommy."

The mother's soft gaze turned back into menacing stare once she laid eyes on Cameron again.

The mother said to Cameron, "You stay away from my son. Just look what you've done to him."

Cameron didn't have time to feel offended at her accusation. She expected this kind of behavior from people anyway. It never really dawned on Cameron that John was the only human she knew that didn't want her scrapped and burned. But that didn't matter at that moment. The mother snatched up little James and hastily carried him out of Cameron's sight. Cameron watched him disappear, gazing until she fell into another one of her trances. Now deep into thought, Cameron realized that the boy's claims were alarming. The cyborg pushed her CPU to consider a few possibilities about James' words. She needed to investigate. Maybe the kid was just playing a prank on her, like John would suggest. But how could deceit, fear, and embarrassment translate to fun and games? There was still so much Cameron didn't understand about humans and all their tomfoolery. Maybe this boy was just mentally impaired. Or perhaps he saw something terrible happen.

Against her better judgment, Cameron decided to investigate. She walked in the opposite direction the boy came from and traced back all of James' little footsteps. With pride, Cameron knew her sleuthing skills could outmatch Allison's deduction skills any day of the week. Of course, Cameron wouldn't tell Allison that in case she decided to compete with her, but Cameron knew that she was the best. She couldn't figure out why she liked being the best, but it was important to her for some inconspicuous reason. As usual, the men and women on base swiftly moved out of the Cameron's way as she marched forward. Cameron didn't mind that though. Even though humans hated her, they were always potential obstacles whenever it came to an important mission, so it was rather helpful that they kept their distance from her.

Cameron soon found a secluded area where this supposed incident may have taken place. She looked around, trying to find any sign of foul play. Beside a small bomb shelter at the far corner of the base, Cameron found drag marks in the dirt. It was such a convenient place to commit a crime because the watchtower couldn't spot anything from its vantage point and no guards were posted there either. Cameron looked downwards and analyzed the drag marks. Her HUD told her this was trouble. Perhaps it was a kidnapping that James was stammering on and on about. For the sake of detailed examination, Cameron decided to test the atmosphere. She breathed in gently and discovered something she didn't expect.

 **Warning: Chloroform detected**

Cameron reached a conclusion quite quickly. It was almost undeniable at this point anyway. This was indeed a kidnapping. With two sets of drag marks and four sets of footprints, Cameron knew this was bad...really bad.

She needed to warn John and she had to do it now. She reached for her radio and said, "John, we have a problem."

* * *

 **Intelligence HQ…**

John said frustratingly, "What? Lesley's kids are gone?! Both Becky and Joan?!"

The future leader squeezed his head so hard he felt his skull would crack. He just could not figure out how Joan and Becky Lesley could be kidnapped in such a secure facility. With Cameron and Savannah gazing at an irked John Connor, the uneasy silence only increased tension more and more.

Finally, Cameron spoke up, "Yes. I believe a little boy spotted two resistance soldiers kidnapping them. I detected hints of chloroform."

"Chloroform?" Savannah interrupted, "Isn't that the chemicals they use to knock people out?"

Cameron replied, "Yes."

"But how did you know that it was Rebecca and Joan Lesley who were kidnapped?" John pressed, desperately hoping it was somebody else.

Cameron replied, "No. The child I spoke to indicated that Rebecca Lesley was kidnapped and Joan Lesley did not report back for her next shift. It is likely both were kidnapped together on their way home."

Savannah added, "If both were conveniently kidnapped that way, it had to be planned crime. And you know what else? It may have been uniformed officers who did the job. There's no way two strangers can walk around this base and get unnoticed.

John agreed, "Yeah, that's probably true."

Savannah replied, "But here's the million dollar question. Do you think Lesley is ultimately behind this?"

John said, "It has to be her. They are her daughters after all. Do we know where Lesley is? We have to talk to her and find out if she took them."

Cameron answered, "Allison's on it."

The sudden footsteps of a young woman grabbed John's attention. It was Allison, of course. Cameron's twin stormed into the room with an unhappy look on her face.

She said, "Hey guys, you're not going to want to hear this, but Lesley checked out nearly an hour ago right under our noses. She's gone, and no one knows where she went. We don't even know how she got out in the first place. She didn't tell anyone and not even the watchtowers recall anyone leaving."

John gritted his teeth at the terrible news, "No, No, No! This can't be happening. How the hell is that even possible? How did she get out? Isn't Bedell on her tail? Where is Bedell anyway?"

Allison shook her head, "That's what I came to tell you. Someone's knocked him out. We found him stumbling around the mess hall until a couple soldiers helped him to the infirmary."

Savannah said concernedly, "Oh my gosh. Is he okay?!"

Allison nodded, "Well, he's banged up. There's a bruise on his head and he's being checked out by the doctors right now."

John said, "Damn! Lesley has to be behind all of this. I can feel it. She probably got a couple of goons to kidnap her own daughters. She knew I was using her daughters to leverage her and now they've slipped out of our hands. We've got to talk to Bedell and ask him what he remembers. Maybe he'll remember something useful. Savannah, can you do that for me? If he's got info on where we can find Joan and Becky, we must have it."

Savannah smiled apologetically, "I'll get on that right now. I'll be right back."

Just as Savannah Weaver raced out the door, she found James Ellison loitering by the entrance.

She smiled and said to him, "Oh uncle James? What are you doing here?"

Ellison didn't smile in turn like he usually did. It appeared there was something clouding his mind.

He said in a somewhat restrained attitude, "Well, this time I'm not looking for you Savannah. I'm looking for John."

Savannah said, "Oh, well he's just inside. What is it you wanted to talk to him about?"

Ellison replied, "Nothing that would interest you."

Savannah retorted, "Everything interests me. If you don't want to tell me, don't. I won't be offended or anything. We all trust you."

Ellison looked straight into Savannah's eyes and said, "I'll keep that in mind."

She joked, "Sure thing, old man."

"I'm not old!" Ellison shot back.

She replied again, "You keep telling yourself that Grandpa!"

Ellison never liked it when Savannah brought up his age. Yeah, he was legally a senior citizen, but he still felt pretty good for his age.

Just as Savannah was about to leave, Ellison remembered, "Oh Savannah, hold on a minute."

Savannah stopped in her tracks, curious to hear what he had to say.

She said curiously, "Yeah?"

Ellison answered, "The other day, you told me something was happening between you and Kyle. What was that about? You seemed really excited."

Savannah's cheeks reddened slightly, "Oh, I'll tell you eventually just as soon as this blows over."

Ellison eyed her curiously, "Oh, alright. What's going on anyway?"

Savannah said, "Well, we're in a bit of a situation regarding Bedell and Lesley. I'm sure John will fill you in on it if you're interested. Oh, and I will tell you everything soon. I promise."

"Okay then, bye Savannah." Ellison said.

Savannah squealed, "Bye."

Just as Savannah dashed off, Ellison turned back towards the entrance. Oddly enough, he had to duck on his way in or else he would have slammed his forehead into a wall.

Ellison muttered to himself, "Hm, I should've been a basketball player in another life."

Unfortunately for Ellison, the former federal agent walked right into a serious conversation between John Connor and Allison. Cameron was there of course, but didn't seem interested in contributing to what seemed to be a very argumentative conversation. Seeing that no one noticed his entrance besides Cameron, Ellison decided to butt himself into the conversation and grab John's attention.

Ellison cleared his throat, "Ahem! John Connor."

John, now distracted by that familiar voice, turned to see James Ellison standing before him with his arms folded. Somehow, John felt a little inferior to him while he boldly towered above him in his height, age, and experience.

John said in a surprised fashion, "Agent Ellison, what are you doing here?"

Now John didn't hate to see Ellison. But he always felt that Ellison betrayed him when he started working for Weaver. Of course, John knew that Ellison didn't mean to work for a terminator and he wasn't exactly a bad guy bent on advancing Skynet's cause. Nevertheless, John could never say he and Ellison were really that tight, as Cameron would put it.

Ellison replied, "I've been talking to John Henry recently."

John said, "Yeah, so?"

Ellison answered, "Well, he sent me here to tell you some new information that's personal to you."

"What is it?" John pressed, losing patience from Ellison's reluctance to say it out loud.

Ellison whispered, "Are you sure you want everyone to hear it?"

John shrugged, "Yeah, why should it be private? Whatever you tell me you should tell everyone here."

Ellison sighed, "Well, I guess it's going to get out anyway. I just wanted to say that your mother Sarah Connor and General Perry are returning with Charles Fischer."

John, who caught onto Ellison's lack of enthusiasm, said, "That's good. Oh and you mean this Charles Fischer is Derek's friend, right?"

"No, it's Jason's friend." Ellison said.

John frowned, "Oh. Well is that what you came down here to tell me? I'm sure I would've found out soon enough anyway. What's going on? What are you hiding?"

Ellison shook his head, "Look..."

John shouted, "Okay, just spit it out! Please, for my sake just tell me!"

Ellison finally answered with determination, "Fine. Derek Reese contacted John Henry because he wanted us to prepare for an emergency response unit. I've already taken care of that since you were already busy."

John struggled to keep himself together with worry, "An emergency response? Why? What's going on? Who's hurt?"

Ellison said, "Derek Reese left for home with Jason Cameron following close behind. He left early to transport your mom back home. She's really sick. Lieutenant Reese wants you to be there in case…in case…"

John cried out, "What are you saying? Tell me now!"

Ellison stammered, "L-look, I d-don't know what to tell you. I'm sorry, I…I…don't know how long she's got and I don't know her condition."

Cameron cut in, "What's her ETA?"

Ellison responded quickly, "Lieutenant Reese and Sarah will be here in five minutes. You have to hurry."

John raced towards the entrance in all urgency to see his mother. But suddenly, he stopped himself and turned around to face Cameron and Allison.

John tried to keep his cool, forcing his voice to remain as quiet as possible. He really wanted to panic, but John knew it was pointless.

He said in a very calm and controlled manner, , "Hey, I'm…I'm just…I'm going through a tough time right now guys. I really need you two to find General Perry and personally tell him what's going on. Tell him about everything and how Lesley's gang of thugs assaulted Captain Bedell. Tell him we can't trust her anymore and so we'll really need his help to take Lesley down. Make sure he knows that Lesley's a bad guy. Whatever this conspiracy is, make sure he knows she's apart of it. I...uh, I need to go see mom."

Allison nodded, "You can count on me John. C'mon Cameron, let's go."

* * *

 **In the Infirmary…**

Savannah raced into the hospital, searching for the closest medical physician. When she laid eyes on a doctor, she raced towards him gasping for breath, "Hey doctor, do you know where Captain Martin Bedell is?"

The doctor said, "You should find him in the recovery room. I checked him only twenty minutes ago, he's fine."

Savannah said, "Oh thank God. Thanks doctor."

She dashed in the opposite direction, where the doctor pointed, desperately searching for him. After scanning the room for a few minutes, she found one suspicious fellow with thick bandages wrapped around his head. He appeared to be lying in an old cot at the far end of the room. Savannah smiled, seeing that it was actually a very conscious Martin Bedell being tended to by a young female nurse.

She approached the nurse and said to her, "Nurse, how's he doing? You think I can talk to the Captain?"

The nurse smiled, "He's doing fine. You can talk to him, but he's still feeling the strong effects of the medication in his system. It will take a while before he's back to normal."

Savannah said, "Oh, I'm sure he'll be fine. Hey Cap, you're wide awake, aren't you?"

The Captain mumbled in a slurry manner, "Oh, mmmggmmm…I real-really feel good."

The nurse said, "Oh, I can leave you two alone if you wish. I'll finish those bandages later."

Savannah nodded, "Thanks nurse, it will just take us a moment."

Just as the nurse left, Savannah said to Bedell, "Cap, don't enjoy yourself too much. Our plan to get everyone to make up and hug it out isn't going to work anymore!"

In his delirious form, Bedell could barely remember that he and Savannah agreed to try and work things out between everyone. They wanted to fix all the relationships that seemed so broken on Ziera base. Unfortunately, more pressing matters interfered with all of that.

Bedell asked, "Why, what happened? Are you having cold feet?"

Savannah frowned, "No, I'm not having cold feet! Listen, we actually have a problem. Lesley escaped and Cameron just told me Sarah Connor needs medical attention. We're stuck right now in a rut. We can't do anything until all of this is resolved."

Slow to respond, Bedell eventually responded, "Mmmm…I see. Well, I guess it was too good to be…um, true. Right?"

Savannah nodded, "Yeah, but first thing's first. We need to find Lesley or at least her two daughters Becky and Joan. Do you remember anything?"

"Remember what?" Bedell said perplexedly.

Bedell didn't seem to understand what Savannah was asking him.

Savannah explained, "You got knocked out, remember?"

Bedell panicked alarmingly, "I got knocked out?! When? I wasn't knocked out!"

Savannah rolled her eyes, "Don't you see the bandages wrapped around your head? You were clearly knocked out."

Bedell pulled his hands out from underneath the covers and reached towards his head. He felt the thick white bandages covering his forehead.

Bedell's eyes widened in fear, "Oh no, I can't feel my head!"

Savannah replied, "That's because it's covered in bandages, like I said."

Bedell smiled and grinned, "Oh, that's funny. That's good. I like bandages. Bandages are sooo great."

Savannah was beginning to lose patience. He needed an answer from him, but Bedell didn't seem interested in giving her an answer. He was almost completely out of it.

She said to him, "Come on Cap, just tell me what you remember. I really need you to tell me in case you pass out again."

Bedell shook his head ever so slightly and softly elaborated, "No, I'm sorry. I…I only remember footsteps behind me and then it was lights out. I think, um, I had my eyes on Lesley for a few seconds, and then I just blacked out. I really can't remember anything else."

Savannah smiled, "Good, at least we're getting somewhere. I think you should be back to normal in no time."

Martin Bedell complimented, "I like that about you."

"Like what?" She queried.

He continued, "Your optimism. I love it. It kind of makes me attracted to you."

Savannah backed away from him in a bit of surprise, "Hold on cowboy. Those drugs are making you a little flirtier than usual. You know I have a boyfriend, right?"

Bedell ignored her comments in favor of pouring out his heart to her, "Savannah, I never had the courage to say something to you. Sometimes, I pretend it's not there, but I'm so desperate to tell you how I feel."

For the first time, Savannah wasn't that excited to hear what someone had to say about her. She felt that Bedell needed some more medication so he could just shut up and go to sleep.

Savannah said, "Okay, you need to rest Cap. I don't want you to say something you'll regret."

"I love you Savannah." He announced, perhaps a bit too loudly.

Everyone heard him, much to the awkwardness of everyone in the room. Even though no one made a sound, Savannah could sense the amusement that surrounded her. She could just feel those watchful curious eyes tearing through her. Oh how embarrassing!

Savannah cringed, "Ooohhh…too late."

"It's never too late for love." Bedell declared.

Savannah had to change the subject back to Lesley. She couldn't have medicated Bedell continually professing his love for her. It was really weird.

Savannah patted him on his shoulder, "Okay, Captain. I need you to listen to me very carefully."

"Okay hot stuff." He said.

Savannah rolled her eyes, "Before you were knocked out, you said you were following around General Lesley right?"

"Lesley's a bad, bad woman." He said, going slightly off topic.

She nodded, "Yeah, I know. But what happened? Who hit you on the head?"

"I don't remember." He honestly replied.

She pressed again, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah." He said.

Savannah smiled gently, "It's okay, maybe you'll remember a bit more later when you're not so stoned."

"No."

"No what?" Savannah frowned again.

Bedell murmured, "I...I remember something. I was hit from behind. I saw…I saw her leaving. I saw Lesley leaving. I wanted to get the guards to stop her…but…"

"…but what?" Savannah said excitedly.

"But she…she left. I couldn't do anything about it. That's all I remember."

Savannah sighed in disappointment, "Well, that's alright Martin. Listen, I've got to go. I'll see you soon. I've got to tell John everything."

Bedell opened his mouth to speak, "I…"

Savannah covered Bedell's mouth, cutting him off from saying another word.

She said to him, "…No Martin, when I leave, you don't say a word to me. Do you understand?"

He nodded, "Mmmhhmmm."

She smiled, "Good, now I'm going to remove my hand gently and walk away slowly."

Savannah released her hand slowly and began walking away, desperately hoping Bedell wouldn't shoot off his mouth again.

Bedell laughed, "I love you even more!"

Savannah groaned in her hopeless failure, "Oh boy…"

* * *

 **Inside the transport truck heading towards Ziera base…**

Derek held onto Sarah's head, trying to keep it stable amidst the jarring ride. It felt like it was ages ago since Derek had loaded her onto the truck and made a break towards home. Derek looked closely at Sarah. He knew she was in serious pain. Whenever, she coughed, she coughed up blood. On the outside Derek refused to accept it, but deep down in his heart he knew the lone woman was dying.

The Lieutenant tried to assure the ailing woman, "Sarah, don't worry, you'll be fine."

After a series of dry coughs, Sarah shot back, "You know I won't. Stop trying to convince me everything's going to be okay."

Derek sighed, "Maybe our med bay can help you."

Sarah said, "Reese, look at me."

Derek didn't respond. He kept looking outside, eagerly anticipating their arrival back at base. He only needed to wait five minutes and then they'd be there. He couldn't even imagine anything else. All he could think about was getting Sarah some help.

She said again even louder, "Reese, look at me."

Derek finally listened to her. He dared to look down and see her face.

He said to her, "What? What is it General?"

Only then did Derek really see Sarah Connor in all her fullness. He saw her pale face and her dry lips. She looked like a lifeless corpse just hoping to shrivel away and disappear.

Sarah strained to open her eyes. She tilted her neck sideways and caught Derek's free hand. Derek watched her as she squeezed the blood out of his fingers.

She said in a hasty erratic voice, "There's something I need you to promise me. Something I'm trusting you to do."

"Anything." He said, desperate to gain Sarah's confidence.

Sarah said, "When I'm gone, you'll protect John. No matter the cost. It doesn't matter who or what it is that threatens him, but you have to protect John."

Sarah saw this not only as some soppy gesture, but as a command and duty to Derek. He had to look out for John, regardless of whatever stood in his way.

"You know I will." He assured her.

Derek could only imagine what it would be like looking out for John. After all, the only thing he actually liked about John was his resemblance to Kyle. Besides that, John was just a nuisance to him more than anything else.

Sarah added, "And Reese, don't worry about me. I'm not worth moping over."

Derek smiled slightly, "I think you're worth it."

Sarah said, "I'm sorry Reese, but you have to accept that it's over. I'm going to die. The only reason I came on this trip was because I didn't want to spend my last moments doing nothing for the resistance! I had to do something. I had to get away from John so he could focus on becoming a better person. I just hope I made all the right decisions for him."

Derek paused for a moment, as if he was trying to figure out an answer that would keep her at peace. But what could Derek say? He wasn't a parent like Sarah was. Derek decided to confess something else that he should have told Sarah a long while ago.

After weeks of reluctance, Derek finally admitted, "General, if this is finally it, well, then I might as well say I really don't hate you. I have the most respect for you in the world. I don't think anyone will ever become such an inspiration as you."

She said with a vague smile, "You know what? I don't hate you that much either."

"Oh really now? Is that the best you can do?" Derek smirked, hoping to hear more compliments from Sarah.

Sarah whispered, "Yeah, that's all you're going to forget. And also remember."

"Remember what?" He said.

Sarah murmured, "To go...go back with John if you have to. But only if you think you need to do it."

"Back where? To do what?" Derek asked.

She responded, "You already know the answer to that."

Derek didn't want to push her after that. He knew exactly what she was talking about. She was talking about going back in time. Even then, Derek couldn't bring himself to believe time travel was possible, but in everything he experienced, he knew it could be true. Either way, Derek had to accept it whether he liked it or not. Sarah finally relaxed. Her eyes got heavy. They began to close. Her breathing slowed quickly.

Derek didn't notice Sarah's behavior though. He was still concerned about what Sarah was asking him. He was just too curious. He had to ask her for more information.

He said to Sarah in all wonder, "Come on Connor, you have to explain a bit more to me than that."

But something was wrong. Sarah wasn't speaking. She wasn't moving. Hearing no reply, Derek glanced down on her once again. It dawned on Derek that she wasn't even conscious anymore. Derek grew anxious, continually shaking Sarah in hopes of waking her up.

He said, "Hey Sarah? Stay with me. Hey, you can't leave me just like that! Wake up!"

He started slapping her face, trying to force her to wake up. But still, Sarah wouldn't respond. She was completely out of it. Suddenly, the truck came to a stop. Derek could hear masses of people outside.

The driver behind the wheel said to Derek, "Lieutenant! We're back at Ziera base. The hospital medics are here. If you want a chance at reviving the General, here's your chance!"

Derek kicked open the doors, finding an enormous army of medical personnel waiting to load an unconscious Sarah Connor onto a stretcher. Derek was finally back at Ziera base.

Derek thought to himself, "FINALLY! Come on, let's go! Move it!"

* * *

 **Mechanic's Workshop…**

Allison had spent nearly an hour replacing the tires on the vehicle she'd use to meet with General Perry. Allison was ticked off that she had to do all this work though. She really didn't want to bother any other mechanics to help her replace the tires or else she feared she'd look weak. She didn't want that. Allison didn't want to use terminators to help either because they distracted her peers from doing their jobs. This meant Allison had to fix her Jeep all alone.

In Allison's mind, she wondered, "Why do I have to listen to John anyway? Can't John just contact Perry by radio instead of asking me to locate and speak to him in person? This might just be a wild goose chase!"

Of course, Allison knew why it had to be this way. It was because of Skynet. John said that modern terminators could easily imitate the voices of other human beings. This made it very difficult to communicate with other allies because it required authentication through some sort of secret code. So why couldn't they contact Perry through this secret code? Obviously, San Diego (the base where Perry currently was) didn't possess that same kind of secret code system that Ziera base did, forcing Allison to travel there rather than contact Perry by radio. And just as Allison thought things couldn't get any worse, she remembered the ever faithful Cameron Phillips would be accompanying her on her mission. The mere thought of Cameron annoyed her. It brought Allison back to the painful memories of yesterday when she did the dumbest thing she could ever do. She got drunk and she let her emotions get the best of her.

Thanks to Savannah, of course, Allison was on her feet again and working hard. Nevertheless, she had to get over it. The only question was, but how? There was nothing she could do. Did Allison still feel sad? Yes. Did she feel tired? Oh yeah. Did she feel like using John Connor as her personal punching bag? As far as Allison was concerned, she'd probably use John as a target practice too. But that solved nothing.

Allison asked herself, "I'm not being unreasonable, am I? I have the right to dislike John. He's the very definition of a hopeless jerk. No, I'm not unreasonable. He's the weird guy attracted robots. It's all his fault, not mine."

Allison convinced herself she could not only be reasonable, but she could be considerate too.

She told herself out loud, "While John is a complete idiot, I still feel bad for him. Even if he is a jerk, he's got problems too. See that? I'm not unreasonable because that's a reasonable thing to say."

An expected silence set in. Allison was still working peaceably. But all that went away rather quickly when that irritating sound rang through Allison Young's ears.

"Why?" Asked someone with Allison's voice.

Allison flinched, almost surprised to find the terminator standing beside her. Allison figured that Cameron must have snuck up on her while she was working on the Jeep's engine. It was kind of embarrassing that she talked to herself, even if it was just Cameron who caught her in the act. Allison looked up to see Cameron right next to her, cutely tilting her head while waiting for a response.

Allison murmured, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm asking you a question." She answered obviously.

"No, what brought you here in the first place?" Allison said almost grudgingly.

Cameron replied, "I wanted to ask you why you were changing the tires. Before you examined the engines, you replaced the tires. Why?"

Allison sighed, "Because, these tires are worn. We need newer heavy duty tires for our trip to San Diego. That's why I'm replacing the old tires with these ones from our maintenance facility."

"Oh." The terminator simply replied.

Allison said, "C'mon Cameron, you've got to put things in perspective sometimes. Maybe you wouldn't be asking so many questions about stuff like this if you just put everything in the right context."

Cameron said, "Do you?"

Allison asked, "Do I what?"

"Put things in perspective."

Allison thought about it for a second before saying, "Well yeah, I put things in perspective. That is why I'm not conceited enough to say that I'm the only one who has problems. Derek and John have problems too, I'm just preoccupied with my own, that's all. I'm not as bad and unreasonable as you think I am."

Cameron said, "I don't think you're bad or unreasonable."

"Oh, what a beautiful consolation that is, isn't it?" Allison said sarcastically.

Allison seemed disinterested in Cameron's approval, but that only resulted in a bothersome glare from Cameron.

Allison noticed Cameron staring and said to her, "Why are you looking at me?"

Through Cameron's HUD, the cyborg determined there was something off with Allison. She didn't seem to be behaving in her usual way. Of course she was a little short-tempered like she always was, but something was wrong with her. Allison seemed a little broken. Cameron closely analyzed Allison's health status. While she seemed to be mentally stable, her appearance and behavior did not match up with previous encounters. Something seemed wrong.

Cameron said, "You look pale. Your eyes are sunken. You're tired. You are also more talkative than usual."

Allison groaned, "Yeah, whatever."

"Are you pregnant?" Cameron asked.

Allison frowned, "No Cameron, I'm not pregnant. You honestly think I'd be dumb enough to get pregnant and then accept a potentially dangerous mission? Get your head on straight!"

Instead of answering the rhetorical question, Cameron added, "You were up late last night."

Allison admitted, "Yeah, I was up late. Are you done asking questions now?"

Cameron said, almost out of the blue, "Do you know anything about Lesley's disappearance?"

Allison showed a look of shock, "If I did, don't you think I would've told you?"

Cameron kept silent. She knew her question would probably surprise Allison, but Cameron knew it was relevant. She hadn't seen Allison much yesterday. She could have been anywhere. While Cameron did not like asking Allison that question, she knew her duty to protect John and this base was far greater than having and maintaining lots of friendships.

Cameron's behavior irritated Allison a lot though. Even though Cameron learned so much more about humanity since coming to 2027, she still seemed insensitive of other people's feelings. She just didn't know how to ease into topics gradually rather than going straight to the point. She didn't know how to speak to someone in the context of their feelings. If anything, Allison found that to be Cameron's greatest flaw. Cameron's inability to care is why Allison believed humans would always be better than terminators.

Allison said in a low and petulant voice, "Wow, well that's just great, even terminators are accusing me of siding against the resistance. You know what, forget about it. Leave me alone so I can get this piece of junk ready. I really need some peace and you're ruining it."

Cameron could tell that she was upset, but still believed Allison was hiding something. Cameron couldn't quite put her finger on it, but she was hiding something and it was important. She wanted to tell John. But what would Cameron tell him? If she just went to John and said "I have a bad feeling about Allison", what would John say? He'd probably laugh at her and accuse her of ill feelings against Allison. John would simply assume that she was jealous or resentful. No. Cameron would wait until she had proof, then she would tell John the truth.

With that resolved, Cameron walked away, leaving Allison to finish repairing the Jeep.

* * *

John struggled his way through the crowd. An enormous amount of people surrounded the returning fleet of military vehicles making their way back to base. After a few accidental shoves and pushes, he forced himself in front of the crowd to see the large medical transport truck coming through the gates. John knew it was where his mom was. Soon, the doors were kicked open. He saw Derek making his way out. John's blood pressure spiked when Derek lowered his mom's lifeless body onto a stretcher. They were carrying her off into the infirmary. John wanted get through the emergency unit to be with his mom, but someone grabbed hold of him, preventing him from pushing through.

John struggled to resist, grouchily shouting, "Let go of me! Who the hell do you think you are?"

"I can't do that John." The mysterious voice said.

John frowned, unsure of that voice, craned his neck around to notice a young man. His name tag said "Clarkson" on it. He appeared to be a private in the army.

John said, "Who are you? Do I know you?"

Private Clarkson replied, "Not quite. But I know a friend of yours."

"What the hell did you stop me for?" He said.

Clarkson replied, "Sorry, but it's my job to protect all emergency medical services whenever an injured soldier needs immediate medical attention."

"But that's my mother! I have to be with her." He argued.

The Private replied, "You don't think I know that?! The only reason I stopped you was so that they could get her medical attention first. Trust them. They'll take care of your mom. When they're ready they'll let you see her. The best thing you can do for her is not be in the way!"

John snarled, "You sure you know I'm John Connor, right?! It's really not a great time to be a smartass with me."

Clarkson dismissed John's attitude, "Look kid, your family background has no leverage over me. I take orders, even when I don't like them. I show restraint when needed. That's exactly what you need to do right now if you want to be an effective leader. Just stay calm. When everything's ready, they'll let you know when you can see her."

While this Clarkson fellow offered him good life advice, John was far too preoccupied with his mom's condition. John watched his mother get wheeled into the hospital while the rest of the medical staff followed just behind her. Seeing his mom disappear only further tempted John to make a break for it and get into that hospital, but considering Clarkson's athletic build, he decided not to take that chance. In his reluctance, John squeezed his fists hard and stamped down on the ground beneath him. He realized he had to stay put.

John gritted his teeth, "You better hope you're right…Clarkson."

Even in his restraint, John struggled to keep calm. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to punch Clarkson in the face, or simply thank him for protecting his mother.

In an effort to take his mind off his mom, a stressed John changed the subject, "Hey, which friend of mine do you know?"

Clarkson smiled, "Oh, that's Allison Young."

John looked surprise, "Allison? She has friends?"

Clarkson replied, "Yeah, don't be so shocked. We're good friends. But she's been busy lately and she's kind of like a private person. She used to visit me in the hospital while I recovered from a shoulder injury. We talked about you a lot. She made it sound like you were a bit erratic and irrational sometimes."

John frowned uncomfortably, "You and Allison, um, you weren't a thing were you? I mean like…"

Clarkson laughed, "Heavens, no! Ha, she's not my type. A little too serious for my taste."

John rubbed his chin attentively, strangely relieved to know it was true.

John said, "Hm, good to know. But do you think I can go in now? I have to see my mom."

Clarkson glanced at the hospital. Everything was all clear and there were no crowds surrounding the hospital. Clarkson surmised that Sarah was probably secured in the operating room.

After giving John a long stare, he sighed, "Yeah sure. But don't go in the operation room until they finish working on her."

John murmured, "Yeah, yeah, fine. See you around Clarkson."

"Sure thing." He replied.

John raced over to the hospital, desperate to speak to his mother. Clarkson watched him in the distance, feeling sorry for him.

* * *

 **John and Sarah in the hospital…**

John had kept his distance for a good long while as he found in his mother's room to be buzzing about with medical staff. He felt like they were struggling to keep her alive, but they never gave up on her. That monitor kept beeping, much to John's relief.

After an hour of agonizing patience, John found the room was nearly empty of doctors. A nurse approached John, telling him that Sarah was awake and stable, but that she was still declining. John didn't argue with the nurse who had delivered him such bad news. He really wasn't interested on learning how the cancer was slowly shutting down Sarah's organs. He was even less interested in what those doctors did for her in the operating room. Really, it was pointless. What could he tell the nurse anyway? To go screw herself? No, that was uncalled for. He simply nodded and silently walked into Sarah's room. John was glad that Sarah got her own private room. It was definitely better than being surrounded by the delight of other sick and dying patients.

When John approached Sarah Connor, he saw his mother covered all the way from her chest to her feet by a large thick blanket. She was breathing heavily, but her heart rate was normal.

John got close to her, leaned over her head, and whispered, "Mom?"

Sarah opened her eyes.

"John." She said.

John said softly, "Mom, what did they do to you?"

"They gave me pain medication." She hoarsely replied.

John asked, "They're not going to do anything else for you are they?"

Sarah said defeatedly, "What can they do?"

John cried out, "Mom, I can't do this without you."

Sarah demanded, "You can and you will. You have to stay here and be the leader you were always meant to be."

"But I don't want it to be like this. I still need you here." He pleaded.

Sarah tried to reason with him, "Why John? Why do you still need me? So many people will be there for you. They will protect you, train you, and help you when it gets hard. You can be that leader."

John sighed, "I don't want to be a leader."

Sarah argued, "And I don't want to die. But that doesn't change anything. You have to do this for me. You have to do this for the world. It's the right thing to do."

John sniffed, "I love you mom."

Sarah smiled gently, "I love you too John."

John said, "Um...uh, where's Derek anyway? He seemed...he seemed pretty upset when he brought you here."

Sarah admitted, "I sent him away. I don't want him to see me like this, so weak and helpless."

"Oh, I'm sorry." John whispered.

Sarah looked in John's eyes. She could feel his sorrowful heart being projected onto her. It hurt. It hurt badly.

She said to him, "John, you have to go."

John shook his head, "I can't leave you. I don't want to leave you."

Sarah pressed him harder, "But you have to John. If this Lesley character is planning something, you have to stop it now. You can't afford to lose because you're hurting."

"Wait? How do you know about Lesley?" John said confusedly.

Sarah answered, "I've been predicting Lesley would betray us the second her shitty self walked right into Intelligence headquarters. If something's bothering you John, it's got to be her."

"But..."

The mother of destiny interrupted, "John, no buts. You've got to go now. I've made peace with it and so should you. Go! Please, go!"

"Mom…" John said.

She interrupted, "Please, don't make this harder for me than it already is. Please go. Everything will be alright. Believe me, it will."

John instinctively gave his mom a tight hug and a kiss on her forehead. He breathed in gently and then he left without another word. John could hardly hold it together fearing that as he stumbled out of the infirmary, it would be the last time he'd see his mother alive.

* * *

"For the last time, no! Since when did you get so nosy? I said no! Now stop asking or I swear I'll make you!"

Three hours of driving in a small Jeep just wasn't enough to quiet down the inquisitive little terminator. She kept asking Allison question after question and it was beginning to get on Allison's nerves.

"But why?" Cameron asked.

This was the last straw. It was the straw that broke Allison's back.

Allison screamed, "For the last time, I don't know why they pronounce 'colonel' like 'kernel'!"

Cameron wondered, "Is it because the military likes popcorn?"

Allison looked at Cameron confusingly and said, "What's popcorn?"

"It's a popular food people used to eat while watching movies."

"Oh really now? Well guess what?! I don't care!" Allison yelped.

Allison was kind of glad in a way that Cameron was driving and not her. She was certain that if she were driving, she'd just find a cliff and drive off it so she'd stop hearing anymore of Cameron's questions. To her own astonishment, Cameron fell silent. After the 48th question, Cameron was eerily silent. The machine seemed preoccupied with something else causing Allison a bit of concern.

With her HUD warning her of a sudden threat, the cyborg alerted Allison and said, "Look over there."

Bitterly, Allison looked up north in the same direction pointed. Maybe Cameron saw a bird or something. No. It wasn't a bird. They saw something else, and it wasn't good. Even though they were supposed to be on a safe and uninterrupted route to San Diego's base, she could see an encampment close by that was not supposed to be there.

Allison said to the cyborg, "Who's that? What people are they?"

Cameron's HUD zoomed in for a closer look. There were several men, like a small regiment, sitting on a ridge, seemingly patrolling the area with their plasma rifles and unmarked light tactical vehicles. They weren't dressed in resistance uniforms and they didn't look like raiders. No, they had to be grays.

Cameron said to Allison, "They're not resistance, but they are humans. I'll stop the vehicle. We'll have to find a different route in case they're grays."

Allison pointed ahead, "Oh no! Don't you see? Those grays spotted us. See?! We've got to go now. I don't expect they will follow us if we leave right now."

Cameron agreed, "Yes, we are not dressed as resistance officers. They shouldn't follow us."

Allison commented, "Oh well, there's just one problem with that thought."

Cameron asked, "Why?"

She answered, "You see those guards loading up in that armored vehicle over there? I think they're coming after us."

With that in mind, Cameron put the vehicle into reverse and swiveled the Jeep in the opposite direction.

She looked at Allison and said as a matter o' factly, "Yes, we should go."

Worry began to consume Allison. They were getting closer to their tials.

Allison said to her cyborg companion, "Cameron? Um, they're…they're coming after us, like right now. Come on, we've got to go!"

All of the sudden, Cameron slammed on the gas, jolting the Jeep into super-speed.

"Cameron, what the hell are you doing!" Allison shouted.

Allison struggled to hold on as the Jeep swerved left to right. Just when she thought the worst of it was all over, they dove right into a ravine. The vehicle's engines strained to pull the vehicle out as its tires dug into the terrain. The noise of the engine drowned out her voice, though the sound of gunshots whistling by didn't help either. One bullet deflecting off the Jeep's frame suddenly forced Allison to duck. She looked to her left to see her machine friend dutifully operating her military vehicle. Cameron seemed so calm, almost like she'd done this before.

Cameron replied in a rather loud and monotonous fashion, "We can't escape them."

Cameron firmly gripped the steering wheel, smoothly deviating onto another course. Allison dared to turn around to see her pursuers catching up. Allison had never thought grays could drive that fast in such a large Humvee, but there they were. Allison stole another glance into the grays' eyes hysterically. She felt the cold soulless eyes that frightened her. With a keen eye, she saw three grays, sticking their guns out the window and firing simultaneously at her. Allison watched them gradually catch up to her at lightning speed. They just wouldn't let up. She desperately hoped the grays' vehicle would somehow run over something and get a flat tire. But Allison knew Skynet operatives weren't that clumsy. It was just the T-600s that were the stupid ones.

She said in a wildly erratic voice, "Well Cameron, I'm loving your optimism!"

Cameron took a steep bank to the left, forcing Allison to grab hold of her seatbelt to prevent herself from slipping out of the vehicle.

The cyborg explained, "No, I mean we can't escape them. We have to fight."

Allison's mind suddenly switched from defensive mode to combat mode, as did Cameron. Cameron was right. Fighting back seemed to be the only option if they were going to get away from them alive.

Allison said, "What do you want me to do?"

The terminator responded, "Take the wheel."

Allison quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and scooted closer towards Cameron. Cameron lifted herself, allowing Allison to slide underneath her. Allison quickly grabbed hold of the steering wheel, anxiously looking up to see if there were more obstacles ahead.

When she found none, she said, "Okay, I got it. You can let go."

Allison burst into sweat, frantically searching for any sign of danger. She struggled to hear the bullets flying by her as she tried to maintain control of their vehicle.

Allison said, "Damn! How do these guys aim and shoot like that while driving?"

Cameron didn't respond. She simply reached behind her waist and pulled out what appeared to be her nine millimeter glock. Allison stole a glance at Cameron as she casually loaded her gun with a new magazine.

Allison groaned in disapproval, "Are you serious? That dinky little piece of crap can't even pierce body armor! We're screwed for sure."

Cameron retorted, "Not unless you aim right."

Allison responded, "We're way too shaky. There's no way you can shoot all three of them. I don't know how much longer I can hold on. Any moment now we'll flip! We have to slow down or we're dead for sure!"

Cameron snapped, "Do a 360."

"Wha…"

"Jerk the wheel right. Spin the vehicle around." The cyborg ordered once again.

Allison wanted to protest. What Cameron was asking of her was nothing short of suicide. She gazed at Cameron for nearly a whole second contemplating the cyborg's request to essentially spin their Jeep out of control risking a terrible crash. But then Allison made the gut decision. She yanked the steering wheel to the right, praying that her trust in Cameron would not be in vain. Suddenly, everything happened in slow motion. Just as Allison's eyes slowly opened, she saw Cameron's hair flying all about. She felt like she was experiencing zero gravity. She saw Cameron gradually extend her right hand forward, raising her glock high up. She wasn't aiming at anything in particular. And then Allison finally understood. As the Jeep slowly spun out of control, Cameron waited for the split second where their Jeep spun face to face with their pursuing armoured vehicle. Cameron pulled a trigger once right through the open window, shooting the driver in his forehead. Allison watched as the driver fell back and his gun dropped out of his hand. The gray was certainly dead.

Allison quickly slammed on the breaks, forcing the spinning Jeep into skidded stop. Suddenly, the grays' vehicle lost complete control. It swerved, flipped, and started tumbling like dice towards Allison and Cameron's stalled Jeep. Allison froze, she just couldn't do anything. This was it. This was how she'd die. She'd die because she was paralyzed by fear. She closed her eyes, waiting for the inevitable. But nothing happened. She heard an awry sound of metal crunching metal. She dared to open her eyes to see something astonishing. She found Cameron's feet firmly planted into the ground holding up the Humvee before it crushed her. Allison figured Cameron must have leapt out of the vehicle to protect her from getting smashed.

Allison's hysteria only got worse.

She said to herself, "Ha, screw you death!"

Cameron, ignoring Allison's odd behavior, quickly threw the enemy military vehicle back on its wheels. After a brief moment of examining of the wrecked vehicle, Cameron approached the driver's door. Seeing that the driver was dead, she ripped open the door and threw his body out of the vehicle.

Allison, finally coming to her senses, stepped out of the Jeep and followed Cameron to examine the wreckage.

Allison, choosing to ask the more pressing question, said, "Are any of them still alive in there?"

Both twins peaked inside of the smoking Humvee only to find one other man inside of the vehicle. Cameron scanned for signs of life, but she couldn't detect a heartbeat. He was dead too on impact.

Allison frowned at the scene of the bloody corpse. Something was wrong...something was missing.

Allison scratched her head, "No…wait, something's off here Cameron. Weren't there three men in this vehicle? Where's the other guy?"

Cameron looked at Allison but didn't respond. She knew she was right, but she couldn't explain how this third gray disappeared.

Allison followed the doomed path of the wrecked vehicle in search of a survivor. She anxiously searched her surroundings, but there was no man in sight. Cameron, too, shared her look of concern. Instinctively, Cameron and Allison followed the skid marks of the grays' armored car just before it crashed. After only a minute of searching, the two heard the desperate groaning of a man close by. They followed the sounds until it got louder and louder. Allison raced ahead of Cameron discovering the third gray lying in a ditch with a deep gash in his leg. He was alive, but Allison knew he was bleeding to death. With all the windows open, Allison figured that he must have gotten thrown out of the vehicle on its tumble into the oblivion.

Seeing the gray was alive, Cameron offered, "We should kill him."

She looked at Allison, hoping to receive her approval.

Allison frowned, "Why? The bastard's going to die anyway. Let me talk to him."

Cameron replied, "He's a threat."

"He isn't a threat to anything! Now shut up and let me talk to him." She angrily retorted.

Allison crouched down next to the man. As his breathing became increasingly heavy, she said to him, "Why the hell did you come after us? Why on earth would Skynet ever tell you to abandon your post to chase us? What did we do? We would've just gone home and leave us be!"

The unknown gray spat out, "Don't screw with me bitch!"

Allison angrily pressed her foot on the man's broken leg, forcing him to scream out in agonizing pain. She didn't seem to like his response.

She shouted again, "Why did you follow us you scum? Why the hell would you do that?! I need to know!"

The man groaned questioningly, "You don't know?!"

"NO! Now tell me, please!" She demanded once again.

Very quickly, the gray started to feel light headed. He couldn't even feel the pain anymore. Allison noticed this coming onto him. His deliriousness was an indicator he was about die. Allison lowered her ear, desperately hoping he'd say something to her. Allison had to know. She just had to.

The gray smiled and wheezed out with one last breath, "Our order was to kill… kill one of you two little..."

Allison got closer to his ear, trying to make it out.

She emphasized, "Why? Why kill me?"

He coughed out violently, "Because…[cough]…because…"

Allison shouted, "Because what?!"

It was too late. He was dead.

Allison placed his hands on his eyes and closed them. She gazed into the ground, trying to understand what this man had told her. Finally, Allison got up and faced Cameron. Allison's face said it all. She was on the verge of figuring something out and Cameron knew it. Cameron could see Allison's face turn from a blank face to a frowning face. Cameron didn't like Allison's frowning face. Allison always had a judgemental vibe around her whenever she had that frowning face.

"You lied to me!" Allison accused Cameron.

"I don't understand." The machine replied.

Allison responded, "What does he mean that he was going to kill one of us two? It had to be one of us they were after? Why would Skynet ever want either one of us?"

"I don't know." Cameron lied.

Allison dismissed her falsehoods, "I want the truth. Don't screw with me!"

Cameron admitted, "Skynet is after you. It believes you will be the leader of the resistance."

"You're not making any sense. I'm not the leader yet!" Allison said.

Cameron explained, "You will be. At least Skynet thinks so, so they're trying to kill you."

"But how the hell would Skynet know I'm to be a leader?!" Allison said.

The terminator admitted, "I don't know. John should become the leader of the resistance, not you."

The pieces of the puzzle began to make sense to Allison. Why was she here? Was she really here to see General Perry or did Cameron have something else in mind?

Allison said to her, "Cameron, were we really planning to see General Perry or were you hiding something from me this whole time?!"

The cyborg answered, "General Perry already knows about Lesley. I was going to take you to Mexico. Sarah Connor has friends there who can keep you safe."

"But why?! How do you know for sure Skynet's after me anyway?!" She said.

"It's the drone that came after us." Cameron explained.

"What about the drone?"

Cameron answered, "Technicians at Ziera base cracked the information coding system. They found out who the drone was after. It wasn't John Connor and it wasn't John Henry, the drone came after you. It was programmed solely to kill you and its base programming was from Skynet."

"Did you tell anyone about this?!" Allison demanded.

"No one knows except me and John." Cameron confessed.

Allison shouted, "Why would John let you do this to me? Why take me to Mexico? Why?"

Cameron replied, "Much like Skynet, John believes you will be a leader one day. John agreed that I should protect you at all costs. You are invaluable to the resistance and so we have to keep you safe."

Allison argued furiously, "How could you all do this without talking to me first? How do you expect me to be a leader if you never tell me the truth? How do you expect me to be anything unless you let me fight back?! I'll never trust you again! I hate you! Who am I kidding, you're a machine! An awful metal bitch! I always hated you! You know what else? I was right to let Lesley go! I'm glad I knocked out Bedell! He was a pain in my ass anyway!"

Those words didn't sit well with Cameron. The idea of Allison hating her had an oddly sick feeling in Cameron. It was weird though, because Cameron couldn't feel sick. Something was wrong. Cameron didn't like it. She completely ignored the fact that Allison confessed to committing a series of crimes like knocking out Bedell. That was nothing compared to those words "I always hated you". Those words, they hurt her somehow.

Allison bolted towards the Jeep, leaving the body of the dead gray behind.

When Cameron saw Allison fumbling for something in their Jeep, Cameron said, "What are you looking for? We have to go home and tell John what happened."

Allison reached for something underneath the seat of the Jeep. It was a plasma rifle. However, that wasn't the part that forced Cameron's CPU to assess Allison's threat level. It was the fact that the rifle was pointing at her.

An angry and unstable Allison Young holding a plasma rifle could only mean one thing. Trouble.

Cameron didn't budge. She saw Allison holding that gun on her with all fury. Quickly, time slowed down. Throwing more power in the CPU gave Cameron more time to assess the situation. It really was one of the kinks of being a machine since she could slow down time so one millisecond felt like several minutes.

In the interest of protecting Allison, Cameron made no sudden movements. She couldn't really explain why, but she wanted to ensure she didn't hurt Allison. At that moment, Cameron realized that that was why she couldn't bring herself to tell Allison the truth. She had to protect her. But as a result of that protecting, she hurt Allison. She realized that Allison felt betrayed. It seemed to Cameron like Allison was once her best friend. But now she wasn't anymore. Cameron did not like that at all. It bothered her and it took up too much of her CPU to process how much she was experiencing.

Cameron stood very still, trying to get a better read on Allison.

Her HUD displayed:

 **Assessing Threat Level…  
**

Meanwhile, Allison shouted, "We're not telling John anything. I'm going to take the Jeep and I'm going to leave you out here alone. You'll have to find your way back to base on your own."

"Where are you going?" Cameron asked.

Allison said, "I'm going to fix this once and for all. You were right Cameron, I do know everything about Lesley's disappearance."

Cameron questioned, "You knew that Lesley would kidnap her own daughters?"

Allison shook her head, "No! Of course not. But at least she's not interested in betraying me or the resistance! So don't move, or I will blast you!"

Cameron assessed her HUD once again to examine Allison's heart rate.

 **Heart rate: 120 BPM**

Cameron felt a sudden spike in Allison's heartbeat. She figured that Allison was lying. She couldn't know for sure though because Allison was already pumped full of adrenaline.

Cameron decided to test the legitimacy of Allison's threat by saying, "You won't shoot me. What' you're doing is wrong."

"Believe me, I will shoot you. And no, I'm right! I was right never to trust you." Allison snarled.

Cameron didn't believe her. How could she? Allison was her friend. She would never hurt her. Cameron slowly approached Allison, forcing Allison to back up in a panic. Cameron had to believe they were still on good terms. Cameron had to believe Allison would give up and surrender herself. But she was wrong about that. Allison's mind couldn't comprehend Cameron's action properly. She felt she was being attacked by a machine. This was not how it was supposed to play out. Allison reacted instinctively.

BLAST!

The blast threw the terminator back. With a huge jolt, Cameron fell to the ground with a thud. Allison panicked. What had she done? She shot Cameron. She had to get out of there in case Cameron got up. She turned back and hopped into the driver's seat. She threw her plasma rifle into the back. Then she turned on the ignition. The Jeep coughed and chugged, but only by a miracle, the bullet ridden vehicle started. Allison turned to look at Cameron. The motionless cyborg was still on the ground. It worried her greatly. She slammed her foot on the gas and determinedly drove away.

She told herself, "I'm sure she'll be fine. She's tough. And I'm sure I'll be fine too."

Allison was only kidding herself. A mere scratch on Cameron's cheek would be enough to ruin John's entire day. Though Allison made it a rule that John would always do the right thing, Cameron's well-being was an exception to that rule. Allison knew she shot Cameron and she knew she was going to pay for it if John ever got his hands on her. Nevertheless, it was a price worth paying because Allison loved the resistance more than she loved her friends. Even if John didn't realize it yet, Skynet was right. Why would Skynet think that John, a friend of machines, would succeed in leading the resistance? Allison knew what she had to do. She had to go back to doing what she tried to do before. She had to stop John Connor, even if that meant teaming up with General Lesley. Yes, that's right. Allison was going rogue.

She pulled out her radio and said, "General Lesley, this is Allison Young. Code 1003121640. I'd like to take you up on your offer. What do you need me to do?"

* * *

When Cameron got up, she looked around. No one was there. It was completely silent. All she saw was a dry barren wasteland. She quickly assessed her damage level and ran diagnostics. That's when her HUD finally lit up.

 **Warning: Living tissue damage**

 **Functional Capacity: 100 %**

Miraculously, the blast only hit Cameron's chest. Her chest was the most protected part of her entire body and it saved her from all internal damage. Cameron was happy to survive. She looked around and found no one was there. Did she reboot? She wasn't sure. All she knew for sure was that she needed to get home and tell John everything. Getting home, however, was only the least of her problems. She knew her story regarding Allison wouldn't sit well with John, and the hole in her chest wouldn't help either

While gazing at the bloody metal shining through her center, Cameron said to herself, "John will be upset...really upset."

 **To be continued…**


	34. Going Rogue: Part 2

Chapter 34

 **Update:** Oh my, someone just said to me that my story was the worst TSCC fanfic he or she ever read. Funny how it took 'em 22 chapters to figure that out.

* * *

 **North-West Gate**...

"Cameron, where the hell are you?!"

An irate John Connor glanced at his radio receiver once again hoping he'd get a response. Cameron promised him she'd update him on Allison when she got to Mexico. Unfortunately, when John contacted Sarah's friends in Mexico, they reported no arrival. John thought they were lost in the middle of nowhere and he blamed himself for it. He couldn't send their one and only HK away from its position to find the two or else the base would be vulnerable to Skynet. He couldn't even track Cameron through John Henry because Cameron was the only terminator besides Weaver that John Henry didn't control. John thought he should've sent backup with Allison and Cameron, but John knew that would just drive Allison's suspicion. There was nothing he would've changed.

John hated himself even more anyway. He knew the only reason he let Cameron go alone to Mexico was because he didn't have the guts to face Allison himself and tell her she had to stay away. John felt weak. He felt cowardly. Now he was afraid that his mistake had come at the expense of Cameron and Allison's life.

It didn't even occur to John what he'd tell Derek and Kyle once they came looking for Allison. It was just one problem stacked on top of another.

John's radio suddenly buzzed, "Connor? Are you there? Over."

John knew that voice. It was a guard John knew that was stationed on one of the watchtowers. John quickly grabbed his radio without a minute to spare.

He said, "What is it?"

The male voice replied, "I've been up here on the towers all day. I see that Allison cyborg of yours is coming back."

John said, "What? My cyborg? Allison too?"

"Just the cyborg. No Allison Young."

John frowned, "No, are you sure? She left with Allison."

"I said no. I only see a damaged cyborg."

John screamed, "Damaged?! Why?"

"I don't know! Ask the damn thing. That's it, my work is done here. Over." The man said.

John made his way to the entrance in expectation of Cameron. When John got there, he saw his cyborg companion pull into the entrance and park the odd-looking vehicle into a lot. John noticed it wasn't a camouflage military Jeep as expected. She was operating an advanced light strike vehicle completely painted in black despite the fact that Derek's base possessed no such military vehicle. Even then, John didn't pay that much more attention. He was far too focused on Cameron to be concerned with her mode of transportation. Cameron hopped out casually with John racing towards her from behind. When Cameron turned around, John's eye's widened in shock. There was Cameron, metal shining through her bloodied chest and she just stood there like it was nothing.

He said heatedly, "Where's Allison?"

Cameron, with almost no facial reaction, she responded, "She escaped."

John's eyes couldn't tear himself away from the gaping hole on Cameron's body. It kept distracting him and he couldn't wait any longer.

John gasped once more, "That's...that's a blast from a plasma rifle. How did you get shot? Who shot you? When and how did it happen?"

John pressed for more and more answers, unwilling to be tamed by Cameron's indifferent attitude. This was the moment Cameron realized she'd have to explain the situation to John as gently as possible. John's anger often brought the worst out of him. Cameron knew that. Giving John a straightforward story could be the best way to appease his anger. Dodging questions and giving him the run around, on the other hand, would just make him angrier.

The terminator chose the latter and briefly explained, "We [Allison and I] were attacked. Skynet spotted us on route to Mexico. Grays chased after both of us. We got away, but Allison figured it out. I told her about the drone. She thinks we betrayed her. She tried to get away. I wouldn't let her go so she shot me."

Cameron's words took John on a roller coaster. There were so many questions and not enough answers. The only one that stuck with him was the part where Cameron said that Allison shot her. John couldn't help but get angry.

"No! I…I'll kill her." He said.

Cameron didn't think that was a good response. He seemed to be making threats to Allison's life. Cameron figured she could attempt to shift John's focus away from Allison and more onto her. While Cameron didn't care for any attention, John's attitude toward her had been gentler and kinder ever since they time jumped to the future.

Cameron apologized, "I'm sorry John, I let her get away."

John grabbed Cameron's hand and pulled violently, "No don't apologize. C'mon, let's go."

She queried, "Where are you taking me? You don't want to know what happened next?"

Cameron figured John would be interested to know that she oddly "blacked out" after Allison shot her, but John didn't seem that interested. That wasn't just it, but the part where they were attacked and how Allison figured it all out didn't seem at much interest to John either. Maybe John knew that Allison would eventually figure it out one way or another what they were up to. Or perhaps John was just too concerned with her damaged body to be interested in anything else at the moment.

John shook his head, "I know all I need to know. We're going to get some clothes. You can't be seen with a hole in your chest or you'll freak everyone out."

John and Cameron moved briskly past the infirmary towards a small cluster of tiny houses. Cameron figured that John was taking her to his sleeping quarters. Cameron didn't know why he would do that because she didn't store any of her belongings there either. After all, it would look bad on John's part if a snooping Derek or a curious Kyle caught any of her clothes in there.

Cameron stated, "I don't have any more clothes to wear. I only have mittens, but I don't need them."

John paced faster and said with more determination than last time, "I know, that's why I'm taking you to Allison's place."

"You're going to take Allison's clothes?" She concluded.

"Yeah." He boldly answered.

Cameron warned, "Allison won't like that."

"She should have thought of that before she blasted you with a plasma weapon. Now come on! Speed up!" He commanded.

* * *

 **In Allison's sleeping quarters…**

John searched Allison's drawers looking for something to put over Cameron. John could've gotten some old clothes from the hospital or gave Cameron a large baggy military jumpsuit, but John felt that Cameron needed to wear more respectable clothing. Cameron couldn't understand that though. She felt John was being irrational. She figured it was just another one of those human things people do when they're upset.

But there was something more pressing that Cameron needed to do. She figured she needed to distract John some more. After all, he was visibly angry, shocked, and a bit disturbed by Allison's actions. He kept wiping sweat off his forehead and his heart rate was still too high. Maybe she could talk to him and calm him down. She remembered reading a book one time where it said that conversation was a great way to calm people down.

Cameron took a seat on Allison's bed and meekly said to him with a mysterious tone, "Do you still miss it?"

John, still searching frantically in Allison's drawers, said, "Miss what?"

"Home." She said.

That word caught John's attention. He stopped, turned around, and he looked directly in her eyes with all seriousness. The question obviously surprised him. He leaned against Allison's dresser and thought for a moment.

He answered, "This world is my home now."

Seeing his slightly defensive tone, Cameron elaborated, "But do you miss when the world was alive? Do you wish you could go back to a world before this one?"

Glancing downwards, John knew that Cameron was probably concerned that much of his stress was coming from homesickness. It wasn't.

John thought long and hard before saying, "You know…like…"

John paused. He was trying to find a way to answer her question so that she, a mere cyborg, could understand.

Finally, John said, "Before Skynet took over, I looked at all the people bustling about in the busy streets of Los Angeles and I promised myself one thing…I'd never let myself get attached to them. I knew half of them would be dead anyway. So I pretty much looked at the sky and all the plants and animals and I told myself they'd be gone. I convinced myself it wasn't there. I really was living in judgment day long before it all really happened."

"So you don't miss it?" Cameron asked.

John replied, "You can't miss a world you never knew. To tell you the truth, I'm more relieved than anything else that judgment day's finally here."

Cameron didn't answer. She kept looking at John. John couldn't tell if that was a judgmental stare. Perhaps Cameron's stare was full of confusion. John figured Cameron might not understand his explanation.

For the sake of clarification, John added, "Listen, I'm not stressed out because I'm sick of fighting Skynet or because I miss home. I'm just sick of losing everyone. I'm sick of being alone. Now look what Allison's done. Look at what mom is doing to me. They're leaving me!"

Cameron remembered something that she told Sarah. Cameron remembered telling her that in order to keep John as safe as possible, John ought to be alone. Cameron knew better now. It was one thing for John to be alive, but it didn't matter if his soul died in the process. John had to be close to people. It was losing people and letting them go that made John worse.

Cameron agreed, "Loneliness hurts."

John smirked, "Well, that's not something I ever thought you'd say."

"I can change my mind." She said with an innocent look on her face.

John reached behind him for a black tank top in Allison's drawer and threw it to Cameron.

He said, "I'm sure you can. Now put this on."

Cameron gave John a long and relaxed look. Finally, she slipped off her jacket. Then she crossed her arms intending to stretch and remove her damaged torn bloodied shirt. John's eyes didn't waver. He considered turning around and giving Cameron privacy, but what was the point? He'd seen Cameron walk around in her underwear all the time.

Cameron, too, couldn't care less. In fact, walking around the base naked wasn't a problem for her either. The only problem was that she'd attract too much attention, so she had to make an effort to wear enough clothing.

While staring into her metallic chest, it finally occurred to John that the vehicle that Cameron was driving was not the same one that they had when they left.

He said to her, "Cameron, where did you get that thing from?"

"Allison stole mine."

"Where did you get this one? It's not the same vehicle you used when you left." He asked again.

"I found a gray. I killed him, and then I took his." She said rather casually.

John winced slightly at Cameron's straightforwardness, but there was no point in asking Cameron to sugarcoat it. If she killed someone, she killed someone.

John murmured, "Don't tell me you murdered him."

Cameron said, "I didn't. I wanted to walk home, but a gray spotted me. I wasn't going to kill him, but he pointed a gun at me. I waited for him to take aim and then I shot him first. He was armed with a plasma rifle. He could've killed me. You would've asked me to do the same thing."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." He admitted.

"Was I wrong?" The female terminator asked.

John frowned, "What?"

Cameron answered, "Should I have done something else?"

Jon shook his head, "No, no, you...you did the right thing. I'm glad."

"Why?" Cameron wondered.

John smiled, "Because...a couple years ago, you would've killed him whether he was a gray or not. Now you care. I know you care."

Cameron didn't respond. She did not have the correct data to determine what course of action she would've taken based on 2007 programming. She also had no means of determining whether or not she cared and she didn't have a very detailed definition on the word "care". She assessed a few dictionaries from her memory files but couldn't figure out how to comprehend John's statement. Instead, Cameron merely slipped on her jacket as silently as possible while John enjoyed looking at her very attractive body.

He added, "You know Cameron, we never got around to that date we we were talking about."

Cameron tilted her head,"You want to date me? Like a boyfriend and a girlfriend?"

"If that's the way you see it, then yes." John nodded.

Cameron didn't have a reason to refuse. But she didn't have much of a reason to say yes either. John's relationship with Derek and Allison would suffer tremendously. And even though Sarah Connor's disapproval would wane upon her death, John would continue to live with the guilt of ignoring his mother's wishes to avoid fraternizing with terminators and find a real human partner to guide him on his journey to becoming a leader. Cameron once again considered John's attitude towards her. Cameron knew that John expected more from her. He believed she could care, but how could he know that? While Cameron continued to contemplate a response, John's mouth opened again.

He said, "Cameron, do you feel pain?"

Cameron looked upon her chest and touched it with her bare hand. He didn't expect that question to suddenly arise from their conversation. Perhaps John had been thinking about that for a long time. Cameron didn't know why, but her ability to feel seemed important to John.

She said to him, "Not the way you do."

John sighed, "I see."

Cameron added, "But it doesn't feel good though."

If there was one thing Cameron knew, getting shot wasn't a good experience. She didn't know why, but she knew it was a terrible thing to feel.

John gazed towards Cameron in awe. He seemed to flash a very tiny smile to her, but it wasn't something that Cameron could understand. Why was he smiling like that? Did John think she was joking? Cameron didn't know what to think anymore. Humans were still too complicated to understand.

When John realized that Cameron was staring at him in an almost curious fashion, he shook himself out of his own reverie and said, "But...first thing's first."

"Yes?" Cameron replied.

"Where's Allison and how do we get her back?"

Suddenly, things went back to business. For a minute, Cameron and John had their moment, and then suddenly life got in the way.

Cameron replied, "Allison knows what we did. She knows about the drone. She knows everything."

John sighed, "Well, I guess that means we have our work cut out for us. We have to tell Kyle and Derek."

Cameron informed, "They will freak."

"Yep, they're going to freak. But not as much as Allison when I get my hands on her. She shot you, and she's not going to get off easy."

"Get off?" Cameron said.

John laughed in exasperation, "Sorry, poor choice of words."

* * *

 **John and Kyle…**

John knew that he had to find Allison and fast. Whether he liked it or not, he'd have to tell Derek. While Cameron was busy getting information from John Henry, he went searching for Derek. On his way to his Derek's office, he found Kyle Reese going in the opposite direction carrying a heavy box full of God knows what. Kyle didn't seem preoccupied with anything else, so John swooped in his path hoping Kyle could locate his lost uncle.

Kyle didn't notice John until he heard his voice, "Hey, um, where is Derek?"

Slightly baffled, Kyle nearly dropped his box of equipment just before bumping right into John.

Kyle replied, "Oh, uh, why are you asking?"

"I may need his help." John said rather briskly.

Kyle quickly put his box down onto an old slab of concrete and took a good long glare into John's guilty eyes. According to Kyle, something seemed off about John. Something was definitely up.

The younger Reese regrettably shook his head and said to him, "He's not exactly in the mood to hear anything right now."

"But where is he?" John persisted.

Kyle reasoned, "John, if I tell you, you'll just ignore me and go find him. Just tell me what the problem is and then maybe I'll tell you where you can find him if I think it's important enough."

While John didn't like Kyle's refusal, he appreciated his stubbornness and tenacity. Yet more important to John was that Kyle Reese, his dad, was sticking up for his older brother. That seemed awfully nice. John wished he had an older brother too that could be there for him.

John smirked, "Well, you know me better than I thought. I'd probably answer the same way."

"I'm trying." Kyle said.

"Trying what?"

Kyle answered, "Trying to know you better."

"You've been talking to my mom recently?" John wondered.

Kyle shook his head, "No, not really. I don't want to make her feel guilty."

"About what? My mom cares about you." John said honestly.

Kyle shook his head, "No, you don't understand. It's not that. The more I see her, the more I remind her of the person she lost. That's the other Kyle. And you what else? The more I see her, the more I remind her that she is leaving you behind under my protection."

Bringing up Sarah's mortality was gloomy, but John tried not to dwell on that too long.

John murmured, "I don't need protecting."

Kyle answered back, "And yet that's exactly what your mother Sarah Connor wants. But never mind about that. What do you want with Derek anyway?"

John didn't want to say it, because once he did, Kyle would press him until he confessed everything. Nevertheless, he had no choice.

John explained, "Look, it's about Allison."

"What about Allison?" Kyle replied.

John replied, "She's with Lesley. I need to find her and get her back."

Kyle shook his head confusedly, "How do you know that? Why would she be doing with Lesley anyway?"

John said, "Look, I don't have time to explain."

John's dismissal only aroused Kyle's suspicions even further, and not in a good way. Kyle got a bit ticked off my John's mysterious behavior..

Kyle shouted in serious concern, "What is it? What's going on? Why's Allison with her? Isn't Lesley the one responsible for kidnapping her two daughters? That's what Savannah told me. Didn't Lesley just escape and totally go off the grid? Isn't she a suspected to be a an enemy of..?"

John cut him off, "...Yes, she is an enemy of the resistance I'm sure! But Allison thinks I betrayed her! She's on Lesley's side now!"

Kyle shot back, "That's bull! She…no Allison told me herself that Lesley was up to no good! She'd never join her side."

"She lied…she thinks I'm the one who is up to no good. She thinks I'm the bad guy. I bet Lesley has been secretly manipulating her for weeks!" John said.

Kyle cried, "Why?! Why her? Why not anyone else on this base?"

John lost his patience, "Listen, I can't explain it. Are you going to tell me where Derek is or not? I can't find him anywhere!"

Kyle grabbed John's shoulder firmly and looked straight into his eyes, "Tell me what's going on! What is it between you and her? What did you do to her that made her feel she had to do what she did?!"

John growled, "Fine, I'll tell you! I tried to send Allison away. That's why she's mad at me."

Kyle cried, "Away from what?"

John said, "Look do you remember the drone that crashed outside of base? The drone, it came after her. I know it. They confirmed that it came after her, okay! I tried to keep it all under wraps! I tried to get Allison to leave this base quietly, to go somewhere safe...but I knew she wouldn't cooperate. So I lied to her and convinced her go on some fake mission where I'd get Cameron to force her to take refuge in Mexico. When she caught on to what Cameron and I I were doing, she tried to leave. Cameron wouldn't let her, so Allison shot her and now she's nowhere to be found. Now she's run away, she's gone and we've got to get her back!"

"You…you thought you could get away with that without anyone knowing?" Kyle growled.

"Well I was about to…"

"...You're a coldhearted son of a bitch, aren't you?" A furious Kyle wouldn't let John finish his sentence.

In Kyle's head, he couldn't believe what he was hearing. It was just too much for him to comprehend. John, on the other hand, was overwhelmed in a different way. John's lips suddenly pursed up in emotional pain. He had never seen Kyle so angry with him before. John's forehead burst into another sweat and more adrenaline shot into his veins. He was uncontrollably angry and sad all at the same time for what his father called him. Did Kyle Reese really say that to him? Did his own father really believe he was coldhearted? Was he just as bad as Allison made him out to be? Quickly, John gathered himself together, refusing to get any more emotional in such a serious situation.

He said to Kyle, "Save the lecture for later. Right now we've got to get her back. Where's Derek? We need to bring him in on this."

"He's not in his right mind. He can't…we can't tell him. Not yet." Kyle said.

John rubbed his head, trying to think really hard. If Derek was completely out of it, what would he do?

John admitted, "Well, I guess that means I'm stuck with you then."

"Where do you think Allison might be? Do you know if she's in any danger with Lesley? Can we get her back quietly?" Kyle demanded.

Kyle Reese was more than concerned to say the least. Lesley was not someone he knew very well. Kyle wondered, was Lesley a monster who killed everyone in sight, or was she simply a woman with a hidden agenda for the resistance? Was she really working with a conspiracy like John Henry claimed or was she just a lone wolf?

John tried desperately to reassure him, "We can get her back without warning anybody. Look, Cameron remembers Allison's last location. First we go there, then we follow the tire tracks of her Jeep. After that, we should find her. Seriously, I don't think Allison is in any danger at all. Lesley isn't a psychopath, she just wants something from us. What I am afraid of is that Allison has lost trust in me. She shot Cameron."

"Rightfully so." Kyle snapped.

John frowned, "About Cameron or the fact that she doesn't trust me?"

Kyle said, "You're stupid actions are responsible for getting your cyborg shot. If you don't realize that, then it appears you don't care for Cameron as much as Allison says you do."

When put in that context, John's faced dropped. He realized just then that Cameron deserved an apology.

* * *

 **(Undisclosed Location)**

Allison sat in a small office in an undisclosed location. Thankfully, she wasn't trapped inside an interrogation room. She was inside something else. It was a room full of large screens here and there connected to a few advanced computer systems. There were numerous desks with empty office chairs sitting in front of them. Allison knew this had to be some sort of command post just like San Bernardino. It was some kind of headquarter that gathered intelligence through radio broadcasts and surveillance. Allison couldn't believe it. All of this power and might made John Henry seem like an ordinary robot. It was fascinating. Was this where Lesley's conspiracy crew worked to gather information on Ziera base? It had to be. After all, their armory was just half the size of where she where she was sitting.

A voice behind Allison said, "Impressed?"

Allison got up and turned around immediately to the woman, "Quite."

It was General Lesley standing a short distance from her. She seemingly appeared out of nowhere with a smug look on her face. Her posture and her looks gave Allison the feelings of confidence and security. For Allison, her behavior seemed very reassuring.

Unexpectedly, Lesley asked, "Are you having second thoughts?"

"No. But where are Joan and Lesley. You must have them here." Allison figured.

"They're safe." Lesley assured her.

Allison shook her head, "No, I want to see them. They must be scared out of their minds right now."

Lesley answered, "You will see them shortly. They are just fine."

"Tell me more about what Cameron did to you." Allison demanded.

Lesley said, "I beg your pardon?"

General Lesley seemed thrown off by Allison's sudden change of topic.

Allison replied, "What? Did you think I wouldn't remember those conversations you've had with me? You knew things. You said you had it on tape, what Cameron did to you."

Lesley smiled even more, and walked casually towards Allison. She circled around Allison, taking glancing towards a complicated data screen flashing information updates on her left hand side. Allison simply gazed upon her strict posture and her tied up hair.

She said to Allison, "You know I have lots of things on tape. This power, this technology, it came from the best and brightest of Caltech. They created this technology so it was impossible to be tracked by artificial intelligence, including Skynet...or your friend John Henry.

Allison frowned, "Wait? You think John Henry is Skynet?"

Lesley shook her head, "I don't know. It doesn't matter. If we have technology that can fight them, I don't really see a need for either to exist. Both should be destroyed at all costs."

Allison said, "Hold on, you're making me forget everything. You told me you had something on tape. You had something on tape that Cameron did, to your husband Mark."

Lesley replied in a somewhat vague manner, "Yes, my husband Mark was a good man. He loved me. But you know he doesn't love you…this John Connor you hang around all the time."

"You don't know that." Allison disagreed.

Allison had not just about given up on Lesley showing her the evidence. Nevertheless, she decided to play along with Lesley in hopes that she would reveal something more. Allison trusted her own judgment. Lesley was telling the truth most of the time, Lesley just liked playing games with her.

Lesley continued, "You're right, I don't know that he doesn't love you. It's you who believes that! You, Allison Young, are the one that thinks John doesn't love you. Wasn't John Connor's attachment towards your twin cyborg proof of that? Perhaps John Connor's cyborg did something that pushed you over the edge so that you could join my side. Perhaps she smiled to John one time. Maybe she gave him a wink. Perhaps she even kissed him."

"Shut up, you don't know anything!" Allison screamed.

Lesley grinned, "Maybe that kiss that so annoys you is the thing that caused you to turn against John. Perhaps you think that if you can get rid of the cyborg, maybe John Connor will be yours. Am I getting warmer? Perhaps you think he will love you if you can convince him to join my side."

Allison was surprised at Lesley's manipulative way of speaking. Based on Allison's observation, Lesley was even better than Jason in that respect.

Allison carefully answered, "This isn't about me. It's about you. That video recording you speak of is the reason you did all this in the first place. It's that simple video recording. I know it! You want Cameron burned and destroyed becuase of what you saw. But what could Cameron possibly do to you that could make you want to harm her?"

Lesley answered, "Obviously I want to destroy her. Did you really think I would spend all this time trying to stop John Connor because he was too young? If anything, the resistance needs a leader like him. The only problem I have is with his cyborg. That cyborg is dangerous. That cyborg destroyed my family. It must be scrapped."

"Show me the tape. Let me see the dashcam footage." The intelligence officer demanded.

"You really want to see it?"

Lesley's attitude suggested that Allison my be too disturbed to see it, but Allison needed to know.

Allison nodded, "Yes, show me. I want to be sure I'm fighting for the right reasons. If Cameron did as you say she did, then you're right. I should've killed her. When I shot her in the chest, I should've blasted her in the head. I should've killed her. John doesn't deserve to be with someone that twisted. He needs someone who can protect him, like me."

Allison knew that Cameron was a murderer. But Allison let it go because Cameron was working for Skynet when she did so. On this supposed video tape, however, Cameron wasn't working for Skynet when she did what she did. Whatever she did on that tape, she did by choice and not by command. That's what made her so dangerous.

* * *

 **John and Cameron in Intelligence HQ...**

Cameron had pointed out on a large map where the fight between Cameron and the grays took place. However, that was not the main concern that kept annoying John Connor. It was Cameron's constant nagging that kept hitting a nerve.

John murmured, "No, you're not going anywhere."

"I should go." She said to him.

John pointed out, "She shot you, that makes her dangerous."

"She can shoot you too." Cameron retorted.

He assured her, "She won't."

"How do you know?" Cameron tilted her head slightly.

John had enough of Cameron's questions. He understood Cameron's wish to protect him, but what protection would he need? Like it or not, John knew that shooting a terminator and shooting a human being wasn't the same to Allison.

"Cameron, why is that so hard to accept that I'm going and not you?" He asked.

The terminator suddenly threatened him with an ultimatum, "If you don't let me go, then I won't tell what direction Allison went when she escaped."

Cameron thought that it might work. Maybe John would finally give in to all her demands.

"Are you leveraging me?" John asked.

Cameron thought for a moment, and then said with glimmer of hope, "Yes."

John snapped, "NO! My answer is no! You're going to tell me and then you're going to stay here."

Cameron knew John was right. She had to tell John, but at the same time, she couldn't force John to let her go with him. Not only would it look bad if she refused John's orders, but it would jeopardize their chances of bringing Allison back home.

"Allison didn't mean to do it." She said suddenly.

John knew what she was talking about. She was referring to when Allison shot her. But what confused John was Cameron's statement that Allison didn't mean to do it. Why would Cameron say that? How could Allison not mean to aim a gun at Cameron and pull the trigger? It seemed pretty premeditated from his point of view.

John scoffed at the idea and said, "I'm sure Allison didn't mean to abandon you either, but oh, she did it anyway."

Cameron caught onto John's mockery, but persisted, "Allison shot me in the chest."

"Yeah, that's good to know. Thanks for pointing out the obvious." John said in a bored tone.

Just as John started losing interest, Cameron said something he didn't expect, "She knew it wouldn't hurt me."

John frowned, "Huh? Knew it wouldn't hurt you? What are you saying? What do you mean?"

Cameron explained, "She knew it wouldn't damage me when she shot me. She wanted me to live. She just wanted to escape."

John wasn't sure that he could believe Cameron's assessment. While John believed Cameron had been honest with him as of late, he had trouble deciding whether Cameron was manipulating him into letting her go with him in search of Allison. Nevertheless, it wasn't enough. John couldn't allow Cameron to convince him of anything.

He put his foot down and said, "I'm not changing my mind. If she's willing to shoot you with a powerful plasma rifle, I don't want to take any chances."

Just when John thought he had heard it all, Cameron made one last ditch attempt to convince him otherwise. While Cameron knew it to be true, it was John that was surprised by her words.

"John, please, I can't leave you. It's dangerous. If Lesley has Allison, she might throw you into a trap. Lesley might not be friendly to you."

John looked deeply into Cameron's eyes. Her big brown eyes were wider than usual, increasing Cameron's cuteness factor 55 %. It was a genius chess move that John could not counter. How could he say no to gorgeous woman just begging to protect him?

John gritted his teeth hard and reluctantly squirmed about.

He groaned, "Fine, fine, but if things go south, we're gone."

Cameron had finally succeeded in her wish. She had successfully convinced John to have her way. While there was no visible sign of conceit from Cameron's mouth, John could feel all that smugness emanating off Cameron's blank face. It annoyed him.

However, just as he was turning away in defeat, Cameron said, "John."

John stopped in his tracks and turned back to Cameron, "Yeah."

"We will get her back." Cameron smiled.

John's eyes lit up at the smile. Cameron was smiling? Why? She seemed to portray this smile as a way of telling John to chill out and trust that everything would be okay. Or was she? But just as quickly as she smiled, the smile faded away.

Coming back to reality, John said to her, "We may get her back, but we still might lose her. She will never treat us the same way."

Cameron replied, "She will forgive you and you will forgive her for shooting at me."

"How do you know that?" John said, thinking that Cameron was getting ahead of herself.

Cameron declared, "You can't stay mad at the ones you love."

John knew the implication. Cameron knew that John loved Allison. Was Cameron jealous? Was she bothered by it? It didn't seem so, but John knew Cameron. If ever there was a terminator capable of jealousy, her name would certainly be Cameron Phillips.

To avoid an argument he didn't want to have, John changed the subject to something else, "About Savannah, did you tell her?"

"She knows everything." Cameron said.

"Good, well in that case, we should get going. As for Savannah, I guess she will talk to Derek and find out what's wrong."

"Yes, she will. She is good at making people feel better too." Cameron informed.

John answered, "Yeah, you're right about that."

* * *

 **Savannah finds Derek...**

Savannah was really worried. Becky and John were gone, their mother General Lesley had just gone insane, Allison went rogue, and now John, Cameron, and her boyfriend were off to save the day. But Alas, Savannah had to stay home to help Derek through whatever rut he was going through. At first, Savannah thought she had to do all this because she was a girl. Perhaps John thought girls were better off being damsels while he was out saving the day. But Savannah knew John wasn't that way. Savannah was just better at handling people's emotions and John wasn't. How could she take offense to that? For the sake of the team, she had to stay and help out Derek who had suddenly become a recluse on his own base.

Savannah had just learned from Kyle that Derek was hiding in an old abandoned barrack that no one bothered to repair. When Savannah got there, she realized why no one bothered to repair it. One side of the building was sunken. It appeared the foundation gave way. Savannah just shook her head, thinking that machines could do a better job than humans in forming more solid foundations.

She approached the doorway, carefully watching her step. She figured it would a little undignified for her to break her ankle walking up a few old stairs. She gently pushed the door open, hearing the slight squeeling of rusty hinges. She slowly walked thorough the doorway to find a mysterious figure sitting in a small wooden chair holding a bottle of brown liquid. Savannah knew that brown liquid wasn't juice.

She whispered, "Derek? Why is it so dark in here? I can't see anything."

Derek shot back, "Savannah? You shouldn't have come here. Go away."

"Derek?" She repeated.

"Not now." He snapped.

Savannah looked around in the dark empty building and said to him, "Hey, does the building run on coal or something? Maybe the lights are still working."

"Stop talking and get out!" Derek warned.

Savannah, who aimlessly ignoring Derek's threats, felt around the walls in the dark for a switch. To her surprise, she felt something to her right. She flipped it upwards, and alas, the lights were on. Savannah could see. The place was completely dirty and trashed, but at least Savannah knew where she was standing.

Derek immediately screamed, "Ah, my eyes! Now I got a frickin' headache! Damn it!"

Savannah smiled, "I'm so glad I can see you know. Wow, you look a little out of it. I think you need to shave too, that beard is just getting way too thick."

"Thanks for pointing out the obvious. What are you doing here?" Derek groaned.

She informed the Lieutenant, "I just wanted to tell you that Kyle, John, and Allison went out to run an errand. Kyle thought I should let you know."

Savannah hated lying to Derek, but for his sake, he couldn't tell him what happened to Allison. However, Derek knew something was up. Savannah couldn't have come all the way here to just tell him that Kyle was running an errand.

Just as Derek grabbed his bottle of liquor, hoping to go in for another swig, he said, "But you didn't come here all the way to tell me that did you?"

"No, I didn't." She smiled deviously.

Savannah swooped in and wrestled the bottle of alcohol from Derek's hand. Seeing that a tipsy Derek was not able to resist, Savannah took the bottle and poured it out a broken window.

Derek shouted, "NO! Do you know how impossible it is to find this stuff in 2027?!"

Savannah squealed happily, "YES! That means you can't get drunk again. That's good."

Derek wanted to get up and wring Savannah's neck, but he didn't have a balance. He just slumped on his chair hoping that he was having a nightmare instead.

Derek whined, "I don't like the look on your face. On second thought, you can go now. I don't want to know why you're even here."

Savannah shook her head, "I don't think I can do that. I think you need to know everything."

"But I didn't ask. Get out. You've made my life miserable enough already." He shouted.

Savannah approached Derek quietly and said, "Allison hates psychologists."

Derek sat silently, confused by her words. What did she mean that Allison hated psychologists? Did she ever feel the need to go see one? If so, why?

Savannah continued, "She hates them because they ask her to do something that's hard. Communicate. It's easy for both you and her to take all your emotions and bottle them up. Many think that's the way to get rid of grief. That only makes it worse. Sometimes, people realize this and get help. Others don't get the chance. They keep it all inside until it destroys them, until it eats them up and destroys their soul."

Derek questioned, "Are you trying to talk me to death?"

"No, I'm saying you need to talk to someone." Savannah required.

Derek shot back, "That implies I have something to talk about."

Savannah claimed in turn, "You're upset about Sarah Connor. You're hurting on the inside."

"No I'm not." He said.

Savannah smirked, "Yes you are. You're a bad liar."

Derek shook his head, "I'm not going to deal with this anymore. I..can't."

Savannah Weaver replied, "Then deal with what's going on inside you. Why don't you talk to her? Why not be with her? You think running away from your problems is going to solve anything?"

"You don't get it! She doesn't want me there!" Derek confessed.

Finally, Savannah did it. She got Derek Reese to talk! Who thought it was possible?

Savannah Weaver argued, "Since when has Sarah Connor been problem for you? She's a stubborn person, and so are you. So just go out there and tell her what's on your mind! If she doesn't like it, then that's her problem!"

"I can't." Derek stammered.

Savannah approached Derek and did something that surprised the Lieutenant. She was hugging him. The last time Derek felt a warm hug like that was from Allison. It felt comforting and rather fulfilling, even if Derek wouldn't admit that. Savannah knew this hug would relax him. She couldn't understand, though, why hugs were such a feminine thing. They felt so good. They were very relaxing. But for some odd reason hugs were too girly and so anti-masculine for men.

Savannah gave Derek a pat on the back and said, "Yes you can! Seriously, I never thought my future in-law would need this much help. Now go, get out. Go! Go now!"

"Okay, fine, I'll go." Derek said.

Despite his headache, he forced himself off his chair and stumbled off. Derek went straight for the doorway, feeling as as free as a bird.

Suddenly, BANG! Savannah cringed at the sight. Was it a gunshot? Was it an explosion? No, it was clumsy Derek who just wacked his head into the wall.

Savannah shook her head, "No Lieutenant, the door is to your right!"

Derek rubbed his head and said, "Oh...oops."

Once Derek left, Savannah said to herself, "Wow, he reeks of alcohol. I probably should have told him to shower first. Ah well, as long as he's happy."

By the time Derek was halfway to the hospital he asked himself, "What does she mean by in-law?"

* * *

 **Derek and Sarah**

Derek found out that Sarah Connor was nowhere to be found. He grew anxious for a moment until the nurse responsible for General Connor's care told him that Sarah went home. That's when Derek made a dash for Sarah's living quarters. Once Derek got there, he knocked on the door and let himself in. The door was unlocked. With a bottle in hand, Derek stuck his head in the doorway to see an alive and awake Sarah Connor sitting on an old sofa. Seeing she was there staring out a dull window, Derek walked right in.

"Hey, what are you doing in here?" Derek said.

"Well, I'm not dead yet, so I'm just sitting about." She replied, refusing to turn her head to face Derek.

Derek eyed Sarah closely. She was most certainly healthier than she looked the day before. Derek approached her cautiously to get a closer look at her.

Derek said, "Well John will be happy to hear it. Why sit here though?"

Sarah added, "Better for me to stay home than be in a dreadful army hospital. It's not like they can do anything for me there anyway."

"Are you sure?" Derek said.

Sarah blankly said, "Yeah, just keep your pants on."

Instead of feeling insulted by her remark, Derek decided to just follow Savannah's advice.

He said, "Want to go for a walk?"

Sarah quirked an eyebrow, "Me? Go for a walk...with you?"

Sarah was surprised to say the least. Why would Derek go for a walk when all they did was bicker?

Derek nodded, "Yeah, with me."

Even though Sarah was confused, she would much rather be doing something than sitting about waiting to die. Unfortunately, Sarah didn't feel well enough.

Sarah replied, "I'm in pain, I feel weak, and I'm very depressed. No, I don't feel like going for a walk."

"Take a swig?" Derek pushed his hand out, holding a bottle of what Sarah believed to be whisky.

"I shouldn't." Sarah said, tempted by the beautiful brown color of whisky.

"What's it going to do, kill you?" Derek smirked.

Sarah said, "Good point."

She swiftly grabbed the bottle out of Derek's hand and pumped down several gulps of the magical potion.

Derek said, "Do you feel like walking now?"

Sarah smiled slightly, "Yeah, I do feel like taking a walk. Lead the way."

* * *

 **Ellison, Bedell, and John Henry in Ziera Basement...**

Ellison was quite curious as Martin Bedell had called him to meet secretly in Ziera basement. This confused Ellison very much when he found that no one else was going to be there. Neither Derek, Kyle, Sarah, or John were there for the meeting, which confused him very much. Ellison felt rather determined to find out what was going on. He immediately need to know the reason behind their meeting.

Just as a very anxious Ellison walked into the room to meet John Henry, Bedell already seemed to be having some sort of conversation the artificial intelligence.

John Henry looked on curiously towards Ellison entering the room and said, "Really Agent Ellison? Savannah Weaver is getting married? To whom?"

Former FBI agent James Ellison took a curious look at a smiling Bedell and replied, "Wait? You know about that John Henry? Well...um it's Kyle Reese, John's-er father, I guess."

John Henry answered in a somewhat curious fashion, "Kyle Reese is John Connor's father. Does that bother Savannah?"

Seeing that things were getting out of hand, Bedell interrupted, "I don't think that's much of a problem for Savannah Weaver. She's far too spirited to let that get in the way."

"Is that a hint of jealousy John Henry?" Ellison wondered.

Bedell smirked, "Only you would ask an AI a question like that."

"Perhaps." Ellison answered.

John Henry just stared at the distance. He seemed to be thinking about Savannah, even though none of this thoughts appeared on the screen behind him.

Bedell declared, "Alright, enough talk. Let's get to it."

"Get to what exactly?" Ellison replied, still unsure as to why they were meeting.

Bedell smiled like it was the most obvious thing in the world, "Figuring it all out."

"What exactly are we figuring out?" Ellison asked.

Bedell said, "We all must know what John is up to. That's why we're here."

Ellison said, "What are you talking about?"

"Wait, John...Savannah, they never told you anything?" The Captain asked.

"Tell me what? They've been keeping me in the dark far too long. I feel like I shouldn't even be here." Ellison confessed.

Bedell frowned, "Damn it, they're good. I expected they would've told you something, but I guess not."

Ellison had known for a long time that John and Cameron were always up to no good. The only reason Ellison never questioned them was because Savannah was involved. Ellison didn't know John very well, but he practically raised Savannah for a short time. He trusted Savannah, but not John. All Ellison knew for sure was that every time he talked to Savannah, she assured him everything was just fine. But now Ellison knew that Savannah was hiding things from him too. This meant he had to get to the bottom of this.

Ellison demanded, "What is it? What's going on? I have to know."

"Allison, she hit me on the head." Bedell said.

"Allison hits lots of people whenever she's angry, you've got to be more specific." A perplexed Ellison responded.

Bedell explained, "She hit me on the head. She stopped me from getting to Lesley before she escaped the base. I thought Savannah would've told you."

Ellison looked at Bedell skeptically, "That's…no, that's impossible. Allison Young would never…"

Bedell interrupted, "...She'd never do what? You mean betray us? Of course she would, or else she wouldn't have cracked my skull."

Ellison scratched the back of his head, "I just…I don't…"

"You better believe it." Bedell said.

Bedell wasn't at all mad at the fact he got clobbered by Allison. It was just Ellison's underestimation of what Allison was capable of doing that bothered him.

"Does Derek Reese know?" Ellison wondered.

Bedell sighed in exasperation, "I can't get a hold of him. I've been asking around, but no one knows where he is."

"Well what do you want to do?" The former agent asked.

"That's why we're here. We have to figure out what we want to do. We need to figure out our priorities." Bedell said determinedly.

Ellison wondered where Bedell was going with this. What did he mean by priorities? Was he challenging John's leadership and hoping that John Henry would back him up on that? That seemed a little risky considering Weaver wanted John to grow up and become the leader he needed to be. Bedell's implications seemed nothing short of a coup.

Ellison asked, "So what do you think we should do? You don't think John can make those decisions? You don't trust him anymore?"

Seeing that Ellison was getting defensive, Bedell knew he was hitting some wrong notes with Ellison.

Bedell tried to clarify is standpoint, "You know Ellison, it really doesn't matter to me who leads the resistance. If John is supposed to become that leader, then very well. But let's make no mistake, John is not forty years old like he's supposed to be. He's a young inexperienced teenager. He's just a kid stuck in the very year that Skynet is supposed to launch an attack on the resistance. This is the year that Skynet develops a time machine to find and kill him. If Skynet has that time machine now, we need to make sure that they don't use it on John…or anyone for that matter who might take on the reigns of leadership."

"We don't know for sure Skynet has time machine capabilities." Ellison pointed out.

"We don't know Skynet doesn't either. We can't take risks on something so dangerous. Look, there's something I think you guys should know. Do you remember that drone that came after us?" Bedell said.

Ellison nodded, "Yeah, wasn't it targeting John Henry?"

"No, it wasn't, and I bet John Henry knows that too. That drone wasn't going after John Henry." The Captain answered.

Ellison shook his head in confusion, "What do you mean? Skynet knows where John Henry is, so who else could Skynet be worried about? Where else would Skynet send an American drone to destroy?"

Bedell answered, "Listen, I've talked to a technician in private that worked on the crashed drone. He told me that the drone was after Allison."

"What? Why?" Ellison replied.

Bedell shrugged, "I've got no clue. Allison's no major leader in the resistance. She's not even in the reserves! She's just an intelligence officer. She's got no title. She's got nothing. That's why it all doesn't make sense. Do you think Skynet is just trying to throw us off our game?"

Ellison added, "Come to think of it, I don't think so. Skynet could have sent that drone anywhere to kill anyone. And I bet that they sent an American drone on purpose to stir up conflict in the resistance. They wanted us to blame each other and fight while causing enough of a distraction to aid Skynet's offensive strategy. You know what else interests me? I find it such a huge coincidence that Allison Young, who has a terminator duplicate walking around, somehow gets a target on her back."

Bedell's eyes widened in a "EUREKA" moment, "Wait a minute…Ellison, you're a genius!"

"You on to something?" Ellison said.

Bedell quickly turned to the artificial intelligence and said to him, "John Henry, how do drones detect humans?"

"Facial recognition software." He said briefly.

Bedell shouted, "That's it!"

"What's it?" Ellison asked.

Bedell said, "Maybe that drone wasn't after Allison Young…the drone thought it was after the machine."

Ellison elaborated, "Cameron, you mean?"

"It doesn't matter right now. Allison's in danger. As far as I know, John, Cameron, and Kyle went looking for her in hopes of covering this all up. If that's the case, John's cyborg is in danger too."

"I don't know what to say. This is all very confusing." Ellison answered.

Now was not the time, however, to think all day of how confusing it was. Bedell knew they had to take action. If Skynet was after Allison, then it might be after Cameron as well. And if Skynet was after them, then Cameron and Allison had to be pretty important to Skynet's strategy. They had to get them back immediately. Bedell knew that Cameron, John, and Savannah had gone off somewhere. If they were looking for Allison, they had to have left some clues behind. Bedell took a glance into John Henry's eyes. They looked really guilty for some reason.

With a suspicious mind, Bedell said to John Henry, "Where's John Connor, John Henry?"

"I can't say." John Henry answered.

Bedell warned, "John Henry…where are they? Do you know something about this? You know, if John found Lesley, we can possibly get Joan Lesley and Becky Lesley back home...and more importantly, we can stop Lesley before she does whatever the hell she's planning against us. John Henry, believe me when I tell you that John is hiding something from us and he's going to get himself and other people killed if he tries to handle this all by himself. You can't let that happen."

John Henry defended his decision, "Cameron specifically instructed me not tell anyone. I cannot go against her orders"

Ellison intervened, "John Henry, you know you can't do that…you and I both know that if Allison or Lesley ends up hurting someone, like John, Weaver is going to be upset with you. Yet worse, if Cameron gets killed, you would have failed your mission to protect the resistance."

John Henry shook his head in desperation, "But she said I shouldn't. It's wrong to disobey orders."

At this point, Bedell and Ellison realized they were winning an argument with the most powerful AI in the world.

Ellison eventually replied, "John Henry, I'm ordering you to do the right thing. Are you going to disobey that now? I don't think so. Now don't make me count 10."

* * *

John, Cameron, and Kyle got out of their Jeep, examining the scene of the incident. There were no bodies. There was no wreckage. There was absolutely nothing. The area was completely evidence-free. Lack of evidence only drove their suspicion even further

John said, "Cameron, I thought you said this is where it all happened?"

"It did." Cameron said.

John responded, "So where is everything?!"

Kyle took a glance to his left, and raced towards a small bush beside the road. He reached in and pulled out something shiny.

Kyle held it out and showed it to John, "Look, this is piece of scrap metal. I saw it shining through the bushes. You think it could be from the grays…or perhaps machines?"

Cameron answered, "There are no machines patrolling this area, only human operatives. The vehicle that chased us did possess similar metal."

Kyle nodded, "Well, I guess it must have happened here. But this place seems completely barren and untouched."

Meanwhile, John wandered about several feet away from Cameron. After staring at the ground for some time, he found something to help them find Allison.

He shouted, "The place is not completely untouched. Look here, tire tracks!"

When Cameron and Kyle got there, the terminator quickly scanned the tracks pressed in the dirt.

John said to her, "Cameron, are those the ones? Are they Allison's?"

After a brief moment of analysis, Cameron said, "The tire marks and Allison's erratic driving patterns indicate that they are."

John smiled with satisfaction, "Well, let's follow the tires and see where it gets us."

Kyle nodded, "Good."

 **1 hour later...**

John, Cameron, and Kyle didn't really travel that far. Unfortunately, their Jeep got stuck in thick heavy mud, slowing their travel down by a lot. In their frustration, the trio abandoned their Jeep and moved on foot for the remainder of their journey. They endured a quite tiring journey uphill, exhausting everyone but Cameron. Unexpectedly, Cameron pointed towards something that no one expected to see. Just below the levee, they saw a large man-made structure...and it was gigantic.

"What is this place? What are we looking at?" Kyle said.

Before their eyes, they noticed large mountains of junk and alongside it a few enormous cubes of compressed scrap metal. The scene of metal went on for miles and miles. This concerned John. There was no resistance base here, so it had to be from Skynet. But if this metal belonged to damaged machines formerly belonging to Skynet, why didn't Skynet melt down and reuse the metal they had thrown into it? And why was it in the middle of nowhere? Did Skynet have so many resources that even Catherine Weaver underestimated their power and strength?

"It's just some kind of junkyard...perhaps from Skynet." John said, unwilling to speculate further.

Cameron, however, didn't seem so interested in speculation. She wanted to examine it further.

She simply said, "The tire tracks lead into it. Let's go. Allison might be there."

Cameron pushed ahead while John and Kyle stayed a moment longer to admire the large structure made up of junk and scrap metal.

Kyle whispered to John, "Is your cyborg like this all the time? Is she always so demanding?"

John sighed, "Only when she's grumpy."

A perplexed Kyle walked alongside John in silence, confused by his son's statement.

Seeing that Cameron was far ahead, John caught up with her and said to her, "What's this place Cameron? Does the resistance have some sort of station in this area?"

Cameron admitted, "I don't know. Future John never told me everything. He had his secrets."

"Hmph." John huffed, annoyed by his future self.

The trio finally made it into the junkyard. What was strange to all three of them was that the tire marks went all the way into a large crevice within a huge mountain of scrap metal. When they came a little closer, it suddenly dawned on them that this wasn't a junkyard, it was a large building covered in scrap metal! It was the strangest thing they'd ever seen! Was this some sort of camouflage against HK attacks?

Unfortunately, they ran into a bit of a problem right after such an odd discovery. There was more than one way to enter the building.

John looked on disappointingly and said, "Oh, there's like two entryways. We'll have to split up."

Cameron shook her head in disapproval, "That's a bad idea."

"What's also a bad idea is not finding Allison as soon as possible. I'll go on my own." John said.

Cameron didn't like the idea, but he knew that the only reason she was on this mission was because she literally "begged" John to let her go. She couldn't force him to change his mind unless she physically restrained him.

Kyle also interjected, "It's not your fault John. You don't have to do this alone."

John answered him, "You said it yourself, it is my fault. Hey, isn't that what a leader does? Take responsibility? Let me do this on my own and we'll meet back when we clear the building."

Reluctantly, Kyle nodded, "Fine, but call if you run into trouble. No need for heroics."

As John walked away, Kyle whispered to a dormant Cameron standing idly by, "I was wrong about you."

Cameron didn't say anything. She just stared at Kyle, waiting for him to finish his remark. She tried to understand what Kyle meant, but she didn't have enough context to conceptualize a meaning. As usual, Cameron was confused and needed more explanation.

Kyle elaborated, "Derek tells me that John just does whatever you tell him to do. He doesn't. He has his own mind and he follows it. He's got a gut instinct. I'm sorry that I thought otherwise."

Cameron said, "That is necessary."

"You think independent thinking is a necessity? You like the fact that John rebels against you sometimes even if it's not rational?" Kyle asked.

"John can't rebel against me. I take orders from John. I do what he says. The human resistance cannot trust a machine to lead them. They only trust a human because a human cares. A machine can't." Cameron said.

Kyle wasn't sure Cameron was telling him the truth when she said that she took orders from John. After all, Cameron didn't exactly obey young or future John when she left for 2027. However, what interested Kyle more was the idea that a machine couldn't care.

"You don't think you can care?" Kyle wondered.

Cameron answered, "I'm a machine. My programming isn't designed for empathy. That is why no one will ever trust me. That is why no one should trust me."

"John trusts you." Kyle pointed out.

Cameron deadpanned, "That is a mistake."

"So you're saying that this "mistake" is what makes him a leader? The fact that he has this "defect" of caring about others, that's what makes him good? Imperfection is what makes John a leader?"

"Something like that." Cameron said.

Kyle scratched his head and said to John's cyborg, "I don't know if it means anything to you, but you're doing a good thing, in helping John."

Cameron answered, "Thank you."

Kyle warned, "But Derek…he's going to kill you if he ever finds an excuse. The fact that John is somehow his nephew isn't going to stop him. You better watch your back at all times."

Cameron replied, "I will. I don't sleep."

Kyle smirked, "Yeah, I just realized that."

* * *

It had been only thirty minutes since John had split off from Kyle and Cameron. John had found himself in a long hallway not leading to anywhere in particular. Sure, there were a few offices and bare furniture here and there, but the compound he walked through seemed dark, lonely, and abandoned. It was as if no one was there. That is, until he heard the sound of something soft. They were footsteps. John's heart rate spiked. He stormed into the closest room where he thought was the source of that sound. Looking behind a corner, John looked on in astonishment when he saw the sight before him. He was standing in the same room Allison Young was not so long ago. It had to be Lesley's command post or a control center of some sort. It had to be the center of the conspiracy within the resistance. John glared at it all with astonishment. It was far superior than John Henry's tiny little basement.

Suddenly, John heard the sound of light footsteps once again. Someone else was definitely in the room.

He drew his gun quickly and said to the mysterious ghost, "Who is there?! Show yourself!"

Suddenly, a young female voice quietly said, "John, I've been waiting for you."

An anxious John aimed his weapon in the direction of the voice. Then John saw her. No, he didn't see General Lesley. He saw non other than Allison Young holding a plasma rifle on him.

John sighed and said, "Allison, I've been looking for you too."

"It looks like we're doing round two then?" Allison said with a blank face.

"That depends, will you come willingly?" John asked.

Allison replied, "Join us John. Work with me and General Lesley. She's a good person. She can help us defeat Skynet without this John Henry and without the use of terminators. Wee can be free of manipulation. Please, you don't need her. You don't need Weaver either. You have me. John, I don't want to hurt you, but I will if I have to."

John shouted, "You should've killed me when you had the chance. You shot Cameron! You know how much she means to me. I won't let that slide. I never will."

"Believe me John, I had to protect the resistance. It was for your own good." Allison said.

"No, you had to protect your own ego, that's what. That's why you shot her!" He growled in a sudden moment of anger.

In the flare of the moment, Allison squeezed off a shot, knocking John's handgun out of his hand. Seizing the moment, John ran straight for her and grabbed Allison's rifle. It was out of juice, so he knew he could wrestle it out of her hand without getting harmed. Come to think of it, it was almost like a replay from the last time they'd fought.

John grabbed Allison's gun, choosing to kick her in the chest in hopes of forcing her to let go. With a force of his kick, John ripped the gun out of her hand and threw it away. He felt that he'd have a better chance at defeating her with his bare hands.

Allison, in all her fury, struck first, going for his face with her right hand. John deflected, backed away, and replied with a swing of his own. Allison ducked, barely missing his swing. Stumbling onto the ground, Allison swept her legs around, knocking John to the ground. John's head hit the concrete causing him excruciating pain. John had tried and failed to pull his head up enough to prevent himself from hitting his head, but he couldn't do it. Suddenly, the increasing pain numbed and he started feeling dizzy and nauseous. Lying flat on the ground, John knew he was threatening to fall out into the unconscious abyss. But John he couldn't do that. For everyone's sake, he couldn't do that.

Opening his eyes again, John saw a fuzzy narrow figure straddle him from above, but it wasn't for the reasons he'd hoped. He suddenly felt his windpipe closing in as tight cold hands wrapped around his throat.

John blinked again. The fuzzy image became clearer. He could see Allison's cold eyes staring him down. She wasn't smiling this time. She just squeezed harder while John desperately tried to loosen her grip on him. John knew in about fifteen seconds or so, he wouldn't be able to do anything about it. He had to act fast. John realized his legs were lying flat on the ground. He knew he could do something with his legs. So he secretly pulled his feet upright. Allison didn't seem to notice what he was up to. John used his left foot and his body weight to shove Allison to her side. His sudden jerking movement forced Allison onto the ground. This time John was on top of her. Now both combatants were gritting their teeth trying hard to flip over each other in a desperate attempt to gain the upper hand.

Throughout the fumbling of their hands, John found an opening. He grabbed Allison's throat. He looked deeply into her eyes. They still held no fear. He only saw anger fueled by her hatred and adrenaline mixed together. Unfortunately, she was winning because of it. Allison was winning. She kept resisting and John didn't have the will to fight her. Even though he had every advantage, John just didn't feel he had it in him to squeeze Allison's soft vulnerable neck. In a matter of moments, John knew Allison would get away from his grasp.

Unfortunately, John was tired from his travels and he didn't have much in terms of fighting an energetic Allison. Every second of combat only weakened him even more. He started feeling very lucid despite all the blood that was being pumped into his brain. Flashing in his brain were visions of the past...or the future. John wasn't sure. He looked into Allison's face and then he saw Cameron. John suddenly panicked, losing grip on Allison's neck. Allison, surprised by that move, kicked John in chest, forcing him back. Allison charged John again upon her advantage. Luckily for Allison, a tired John wasn't willing to fight her. John wasn't willing to kill her either. Sadly, John knew everyone would pay for it. Everyone would pay for his weakness, for his inability to fight Allison Young.

In his worsening condition, John couldn't even differentiate anymore whether Allison was attacking him from the left or right because he was too dizzy. He was losing his balance and he was running out of air. He was running on fumes. John knew what would happen if he got killed. If he died somehow, Allison would end up fighting Weaver because there was no way in hell Allison would cooperate with her or John Henry. John believed that. And with Derek and Perry unlikely to side against Allison, there would be chaos. Weaver would end up going to war with Derek too and the rest of the resistance would be destroyed as a result. It would be a blood bath. In the end, only Skynet would win. This meant only one thing. He couldn't die. He couldn't get injured. He had to survive this. God only knew what would happen if Allison inadvertently killed him.

John used his elbows to cover himself against Allison's attacks. He kept getting weaker and weaker. He couldn't take anymore kicks and punches from Allison. Then John looked in Allison's face again. When he saw her face, he couldn't help but think of Cameron again. He thought how Cameron was so beautiful. He started having delusions of Cameron. In John's delusion, John wasn't looking at her in her usual attire (tight jeans, jacket, and combat boots). She was wearing tiny flats and a fitted red dress. It was a lovely spring morning. She just stood there tall and humanlike, smiling gently. Then she walked away into the sunshine.

Then reality came back to John.

John quietly asked himself, "If I let Allison win, what would happen to Cameron? And even if I survived this, what would happen to Cameron if the resistance continued without me? Allison would burn her!"

No. John couldn't let it happen. They'd kill her...and that was all the motivation John needed. A surge of power and and adrenaline flowed once more threw John's body. His eyes widened and his attention span was rejuvenated.

Amidst all the punches and the kicks, John caught Allison's hand by surprise. Allison glanced at her fist in confusion and looked seriously into John's eyes. How the hell did John catch her fist? John grimaced deeply, and in the spur of the moment, struck Allison on the head and pushed her to a wall. After a continuous struggle, he grabbed hold of Allison. Allison tried to pull away, almost escaping John's grasp. From behind, however, John tightly wrapped his hands around her neck, refusing to let go this time. He put her in a chokehold. Allison started squirming and choking. She groaned. She tried desperately to reach John's face and poke at his eyes, but she couldn't reach. She couldn't resist because John was just too strong. It was as if his arms had turned to steel. Allison started losing life in her limbs, but John wouldn't let go...not until he got the job done. Her eyes gradually closed and her body slumped.

Just before she gave way, John said to her, "I'm sorry Allison."

Then it was over.

Allison was unconscious. John released the chokehold, gently resting her head on the concrete floor.

* * *

 _Thinks it's over? Think again. Cameron and Kyle have their own problems to deal with._ _It also seems like Sarah Connor refuses to die. Perhaps she doesn't have cancer like she suspected?_ _Also expect Jason, Weaver, and General Perry to return. As you will recall, Jason Cameron is still a part of this story._ Stay tuned for **Going Rogue: Finale.**


	35. Going Rogue: Finale

Chapter 35

 _Hi guys, if any of you have forgotten how I make sense of the TSCC universe, let me make sense of it in this demonstration below:_

 _In **future 1** , Cameron was built by Skynet to kill Allison Young, infiltrate the resistance, rise through the ranks, get close to and kill John Connor to resume control of the resistance. Weaver, for some mysterious reason, recognized the assassination plot and somehow convinced a reprogrammed Cameron to join her cause. In joining the cause, Cameron was tasked with getting close to John as well as advising John into building a relationship with the cyborg resistance. With Cameron by his side, John would become more sympathetic to the machines, thus securing an alliance with the cyborg resistance. When the cyborg/human alliance faded, however, the resistance fell into jeopardy and Skynet struck back. To make things worse, Cromartie had gone to the past to kill John Connor. Upon learning such information, Weaver ordered Cameron to go to the past with her. Weaver would then create a weapon more powerful than Skynet (John Henry) to ensure victory whereas Cameron would pose as the machine sent back by future John to protect young John Connor from oncoming threats._

 _This move Weaver and Cameron made significantly altered the future and turned it into **future 2**. With John growing up alongside Cameron, John became much more attached to Cameron. He was so attached, in fact, that he was willing to do anything she said and stopped at nothing to secure an alliance between the human resistance and the cyborg resistance. Jesse Flores, a commanding officer of the USS Jimmy Carter, was disgruntled by John's behavior. This forced her to go back in time with Riley Dawson to ruin John's relationship with Cameron so that John would no longer be manipulated by the machines._

 _Thanks to Skynet, John Henry, Jesse Flores, and Riley Dawson, the timeline was changed once again. Long story short, it appeared that Skynet was fully aware of what a threat Weaver and John Henry were. As a result, Skynet sent more HKs, drones, and other machines to stop Weaver's attempt at creating an artificial intelligence more powerful than Skynet itself. This forced Weaver to secretly contact Cameron with the message "will you join us?". Cameron, upon realizing that this was coming from the leader of her very own cyborg resistance, decided to help Weaver and rescue John Henry so that neither Skynet or John Connor could kill John Henry. Cameron put her chip in John Henry in order to go to the future and hopefully contact a now grown up John to begin a new alliance. Unfortunately, John, in his state of panic, followed Cameron to the future in hope of bringing her back. This resulted in a **future 3** where John Connor never existed. That is the future we are in right now._

 _Do you find any problems or contradictions in any of this? Feel free to let me know. But besides that, enjoy the chapter! I'm still editing the chapter a bit and adding a bit more detail, so don't be mad at me if you find a few mistakes or some parts don't seem very smooth._

* * *

Cameron and Kyle had searched on and on throughout the compound to no avail. The entire facility was abandoned and neither could explain why. Was it a trap? If so, why hadn't Lesley appeared yet? While Kyle figured that he should probably split up with Cameron and go look elsewhere, something told him that sticking with her was the better idea. Besides, Cameron sort of tolerated his presence more than she did his brother.

It was weird though working with Cameron's duplicate. Kyle had gone on several missions with Allison. Allison was strong and fearless. She had somewhat shifty eyes and an array of expressions. Cameron wasn't that way. Cameron wasn't technically fearless per se, but rather uncaring whether she got harmed. She sported a blank face and her body language remained next to none. Perhaps the only thing similar between Allison and Cameron was the fact they didn't talk much while on duty. They took their roles seriously and they always found a way to get the job done. That frightened Kyle to some extent because he knew that at any moment Cameron and Allison would find one another and all hell would break lose. He thought that neither Cameron or Allison would give in until one killed the other. Kyle only hoped he could intervene in time to prevent anything like that from happening.

In the meantime, however, Kyle had to wait and search. Seeing he had nothing better to do while searching the compound, he decided to ask Cameron some questions and hopefully learn something new. After putting a bit of thought into it, Kyle recalled that he had been trying to learn more about his "son" John Connor recently. In fact, he learned a lot from Sarah Connor. Unfortunately, Kyle only got one perspective from Sarah. Sarah viewed John as a good young man who had too much on his plate. From Sarah's perspective, he was still a young boy waiting to mature into a man capable of leading. But that was just her perspective. She didn't know John completely. After all, who gives a son a flak jacket for his birthday? That's a terrible idea!

Sarah once told Kyle that getting to know John was important because Kyle would have to be there for John if and when she died. Nevertheless, Kyle wanted more. He needed a different perspective. That's when Kyle realized he was right next to John's closest friend. While Allison and Savannah were certainly John's friends too, no insight could be better suited than that of Cameron Phillips, a terminator that had been living in the same house as John did for nearly two years. Her perspective was not only unique as she was a terminator, but she spent more time with him than anyone else. Kyle, however, wanted to take a secretive approach. He didn't want Cameron to know what he was trying to do. Rather, he decided to start by asking Cameron a series of questions he wasn't really as interested in learning to throw off any suspicion.

He said, "Allison told me something rather odd."

Cameron said, almost unconcernedly, "Did she?"

"Yeah, there's something you told her that she eventually told me. It was about you and John. Before you left for the future, you let John feel your metal frame…your power cells or something like that."

"Yes." She confirmed.

"Why?"

"To prove they weren't leaking radiation." She said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"That's not all you were doing." He said.

Cameron said, "And if that's true?"

Kyle said, "Don't change the subject. It is true. You were trying to make Allison feel jealous…but jealous of what exactly?"

"I wasn't trying to make her feel jealous. You are taking it out of context." She replied.

Kyle said, "I don't get it. You let John…touch you…and you mentioned that to Allison like it means something to her."

Cameron defended herself, "I wasn't trying to make Allison jealous. I reminded John who I was. I'm a machine. Now Allison knows that too."

Was Cameron really telling the truth? Kyle wasn't sure. But there was that one question, however, that Kyle really wanted to ask for a long time but never found an opportunity to ask. Kyle knew all too well that John would get upset by the question, but he knew that Cameron wouldn't. It was only through Cameron that Kyle had a chance at the truth anyway.

"What's up with you and John anyway? What is your relationship with him?" Kyle inquired.

Cameron eyed Kyle, but didn't respond immediately. She shifted her attention away from Kyle and paced faster, forcing Kyle to keep up. If Kyle didn't know any better, his question seemed to irk her in an unusual way.

Cameron deadpanned, "I don't understand your question."

Kyle shot back, "I'm not an idiot. You understand that question perfectly."

"John and I are friends." She said.

Kyle said sarcastically, "Right, so that explains why he came after you to the future, because you're his friend?"

"Yes." She nodded.

"Is he in love with you?"

Cameron said, "I'm not programmed to understand love. Love is a human trait."

Now Cameron didn't expect that question. If anything Cameron thought Kyle would avoid questions like that. After all, which human would want to know whether John liked terminators?

All too quickly, Cameron added once more, "John and I are friends."

"That's not what I asked. I asked, do you think he is in love with you?"

"I…don't know." Cameron said.

Kyle frowned, "Did he ever say he loved you?"

"Are you upset by our friendship?" Cameron said, changing the subject once again.

Kyle mumbled, "Stop it! Unlike other machines, you seem to be having a hard time in telling me the truth. If it's all the same to you, then you should tell me whether or not he said he loves you!"

By then, Kyle and Cameron entered into what appeared to be a very large barrack with rows and columns of identical bunks crowded within it. They were the compound's sleeping quarters, except for the fact that no one was sleeping in it. Kyle walked through a column of beds while Cameron eyed for any heat signatures to determine if anyone had been sleeping on those beds recently.

Cameron paused. Her eyes widened slightly with what she saw on her HUD.

Seeing Cameron stiffen up and hearing no response, Kyle said, "Hey there…cyborg…Cameron? Hello…earth to Cameron?"

Cameron kept still, trying to listen for any sound of people nearby.

Cameron murmured, "Wait."

"What is it?"

She said to him, "Someone has been here recently. I detect heat signatures. There are other people in the building."

"Wait, how many?" Kyle said.

Before Cameron could answer, the lights flashed on and masses of people in uniform stormed into the room. With the sudden sound of plasma bolts ripping through the beds, Kyle and Cameron barricaded themselves behind a toppled bunk drawing out their plasma rifles.

Then a loud screeching voice commanded, "Hold your fire!"

Behind an army of uniformed men came an older, experienced, and unsmiling woman. It was General Lesley, in all of her glory. Kyle and Cameron searched their surroundings. Thankfully, none of Lesley's soldiers were surrounding them on the opposite end, but that didn't negate the danger of the situation at hand.

Lesley said to the two resistance fighters hiding behind the bed's metal frame, "You two won't find an escape route. And even if you did manage to drop a few of my men, you'd go down pretty quickly. If you want to live, I'd suggest you throw away your weapons and come out with your hands up."

Kyle and Cameron were completely taken in by surprise. To make things worse, the closest exit would put them in direct line of gunfire. They were trapped.

Kyle smirked, "Yeah right. We're not giving up that easily."

Lesley said, almost instinctively, "If you're wondering what I want from you, I might as well tell you I want the machine. Yes, the one right next to you is what I want. I have no interest in killing you Sergeant Reese. If anything, I'd invite you join us and our cause."

"I'd never join you." He shot back.

Lesley replied, "Be that as it may, I will become the leader of the resistance. No, not by killing John Connor. I will become leader because I stand for something. I stand for my principles and people will follow me because of it. I believe that General Perry, Derek Reese and the President himself are blinded by the idea that the very machines that are killing us can be used to win this war against Skynet. But you and I both know how that's working out."

Kyle argued, "Oh yeah, how do you think we managed to rescue Captain Bedell from a Skynet work camp? It was the machines. How did you think that we managed to stop that drone from destroying our base? It was the machines once again! How the hell did you think we found this compound in the first place? It was machines that brought us here."

Lesley replied, "You mean the one beside you? You mean the one that John Connor loves? The very one that has turned the resistance into Skynet sympathizers? These machines are not just here to help us. They're here to destroy us."

"I won't let you get into my head. It won't work." Kyle said.

Lesley laughed, "Oh really? Well what if I told you Allison Young was here? What if I told you that if you ever wanted to see her again, you'd have to throw away the weapon?"

Kyle screamed in fury, "Shut up!"

Lesley responded, "Face it, either way I get what I want. The question is, will you cooperate with me or will you get yourself killed because you won't?"

"How can I follow someone who is leading a coup against the resistance? How can I submit to a traitor?" Kyle threw back a response to her.

Lesley answered, "The same way you submit to a man taking you hostage. He coerces you to do what he wants and so you do it. And Reese, let's make no mistake. I'm not that traitor you think I am. I'm a reformer. I'm bringing us back to the way we once were."

Kyle screamed, "This isn't reform…this is a purge! You're trying to obliterate anyone who opposes you!"

She answered harshly, "Be that as it may, I'm not exactly trying to kill anyone. I just want the leadership. More importantly, I want the cyborg gone. Give her to me, and you, John Connor, and your precious Allison will be just fine."

Kyle took a good long look at Cameron. He saw Cameron's face. It wasn't her game face…it was a surrendering face. She didn't have an intention of fighting back. While Cameron didn't really worry about John's safety, it was Allison that she was concerned about.

Kyle said to Cameron, "If we're going to die, we might as well do it guns blazing."

Cameron shook her head, "That would be unproductive."

"How so?" Kyle queried.

Cameron said, "You can still survive this. I don't have to."

Kyle replied, "Wait? You're just going to give yourself up, just like that? Why?!"

"You shouldn't die to protect me." Cameron told him.

Kyle answered, "Yeah well, I don't think we get to choose sometimes do we? John needs you, as unfortunate as that might be. So we might as well try to get out of it."

Throughout the whole time they had been speaking, Cameron had entertained at least 24 different ways to get away from Lesley, but 23 of those simulations resulted in the likelihood of death. But there was one way that gave them a slight chance at getting out of this in one peace. All she had to do was look upwards.

Cameron whispered, "Wait."

"What is it?"

Cameron's eyes squinted slightly, peaking through a small crack of the bed's metal frame.

She tilted her gun upwards and said with a faint smile, "I have an idea."

* * *

 **Intelligence HQ...**

Derek and Sarah stood on the flat rooftop of intelligence HQ. Derek had never been there before so he thought it might be interesting to see his base from a different perspective. They watched as trucks carrying heavy loads of weaponry shipped themselves into cargo bay awaiting their unloading and refueling.

Losing her patience, Sarah said to him, "Reese, why are we up here?"

Derek replied, "I've never been here before. It's nice to see the world from a different perspective."

"Is that a metaphor for things to come?" She asked.

The Lieutenant answered, "What do you mean?"

Sarah replied, "That's exactly what I'm asking you Reese."

Derek turned to face Sarah and said to her, "No, I'm not that cryptic."

"How is it going with you and Kyle then?" She asked, changing the subject.

"Me and Kyle? Alright. Who wants to know?" Derek said rather casually, not really showing much interest on the topic.

Sarah said, "Well, I don't know. Do you guys talk?"

Derek confusedly replied, "Yeah, that's what brothers do sometimes."

Sarah shrugged, "I don't know. I just thought it'd be...weird"

Derek frowned, "Why would it be weird?"

"Because of John." She finally said.

Derek replied, "Oh, you mean you think it might be weird to know that my dead brother who really isn't dead because we're in a different timeline, fathered a child with you...and now here I am with a nephew that I never truly had."

Sarah said, "Yeah. That's about right."

Derek shook his head, "No, we never really talked about any of that. We've been overwhelmed too much with other things to decide what's weird or not. Look, as far as we're concerned, you and John are family. And even if we're not the same people you knew, I think dead Kyle and dead me would want us to be there for you. Wouldn't you agree?"

Sarah didn't react immediately. She was happy to hear Derek give her a very full and satisfying response to something that had been bothering her for a while.

Suddenly Derek's radio static kicked up and a voice trembled out of the walkie-talkie, "Lieutenant? Reese? Come in now, this is urgent. Over."

"What's going on? Over." He said.

"Where are you sir? Over." The other man replied.

"None of your damn business. What's going on?!"

The man on the radio said shakily, "Captain Bedell and um…Ellison...I think they have some information for you. You're not going to like it."

Derek took a good long look at Sarah, his face crest fallen. Their conversation had hardly lasted a few minutes, and now, they were being summoned back into duty.

Sarah said, "What's going on?"

Derek mumbled, "I intend to find out."

Sarah Connor replied, "I'll go with you."

Derek didn't even bother argue with her. It was pointless anyway. They both moved downstairs to intelligence HQ to find out what was the matter.

Once Derek and Sarah reached the bottom to the intelligence core, he found the Private who contacted him at his station.

Derek quickly flagged him down and said to him, "Hey, what the hell is going on Private Anderson?"

The Private replied, "Uh sir, they're over there. They're the ones that wanted to see you."

When Derek turned, he saw three different people he hadn't spoken to in a while...that is, before he started drinking all that alcohol a while back.

Intrigued by their sudden visit, Derek said, "Ellison, Bedell, and…Jason? What are you doing here?"

Derek watched all three standing in line with their arms folded. They had serious looks on their faces, almost like he was about to hear some very bad news. Derek braced himself.

Jason spoke first, "Hey Reese, Weaver sent me. John Henry notified my base that you guys might need my assistance."

Derek said, "But why your assistance? What's going on?!"

Sarah nodded, indicating she had in mind the very same question.

Bedell interrupted, "General Connor…Lieutenant Reese, we believe that Allison Young ran away from this base to join Lesley's conspiracy against the resistance. We think Kyle Reese and John Connor left the base in pursuit of her."

Derek laughed, "You're lying!"

Ellison looked to Sarah and said to her, "Sarah, it's the truth."

Sarah replied, "Who else knew about this?"

Ellison said, "Probably John's cyborg...um, Cameron."

Of course, the former FBI official knew that Savannah was aware of everything too, but didn't feel he could betray her like that. Savannah was like a daughter to him and he felt a need to protect her from that kind of trouble.

Sarah said, "Why would John go alone?"

Bedell said, "Well, he's with Kyle and the cyborg. I think they felt that if they kept their mouths shut, they could sweep this under the rug and prevent Allison from getting in trouble."

Derek looked at Sarah and snorted, "Wow, you really believe this don't you?"

Sarah ignored him and pressed them with another question, "Under the rug? What do you mean by that?"

Bedell said, "Well, if Allison were caught siding against us, she'd be branded a traitor by General Perry. You and I both know that General Perry, for the most part, is always by the book. And you also know the death penalty is still active against aiding and abetting enemies of the state, no matter what jurisdiction you're in."

"I can't…no…I can't believe this. This is crazy. Allison's no traitor. If you guys recall, she was the one that branded John Connor as the traitor." Derek said.

Sarah groaned at Derek's response, arguing, "Reese, get it through your skull, Lesley must have been manipulating Allison behind your back. It's not impossible she would have done this. I've spent a lot of time with Allison and I can assure you she's been very upset recently. It seems like a plausible explanation."

Derek shot back, "Oh, you think Lesley manipulated Allison huh? You mean like the way that cyborg Cameron manipulates your son enough that he's willing to kill both you and me just to protect it?"

Sarah growled, "Don't go there. I told you that out of good faith! You weren't supposed to tell anyone."

Derek and Sarah's faces frowned hard. They seemed like they were ready for a brawl. Derek gritted his teeth while Sarah's began massaging her knuckles.

In an effort to keep the peace, Bedell shouted, "Enough you two! Just listen to me. We have to help them and we have to do it now. We can't use our own guys Reese because we can't trust them to keep quiet enough to prevent Perry from knowing about this. That's why we need Jason here and his army. Thankfully, we have a location from John Henry thanks to those trackers he secretly placed on all our military vehicles."

Derek frowned, "Wait? Trackers? Since when did we have trackers on our military equipment?"

Bedell said, "Never mind that, we just need Sergeant Reese, John, and Officer Young back here safe and sound."

Sarah replied, "Then we've got to go now. After that, I'm going to kill my son."

Ellison said, "You sure you're up to that Sarah?"

"Killing my son? No, I'll just warn him not to do dumb stuff like that again." Sarah replied sarcastically.

Ellison said, "No, are you really up to it?"

"Yeah, I'm up to it." Sarah said, perhaps a little too defensively.

Bedell interrupted their conversation suddenly, "Oh, there's one other thing John's been hiding from you Reese."

"What now?" The Lieutenant replied.

"That drone…it was sent for either Cameron…or Allison…we're not sure."

"Wha…who?" Said Derek.

Jason eyed Derek and Sarah when he said, "Remember the drone that nearly destroyed your base? Yeah, that thing went after either Ally or that cyborg. If that's the case, Allison's in more danger than we thought. Skynet wants her…or John's cyborg, dead."

"And do we know why?! You're throwing this all out there, but you've got no motive for what appears to be complete bull!" Derek cried.

Bedell shrugged, "My best guess is that they're important to the resistance somehow. Please, you've go to trust us. We did our homework."

Sarah said, "So Skynet doesn't know that John Connor is supposed to become the leader of the resistance? They think Allison and Cameron are worst threats?"

Bedell replied, "If Skynet does know that John's a future leader, its' been doing a pretty good job of keeping that a secret. But all I can tell you is that Lesley is not working for Skynet. I also think she had nothing to do with that drone. She's just vying for control of the resistance…so with Allison in her hands, not only does she put Allison at risk, but any important information Allison gives up might prove to be fatal to our base."

Derek said, "I'm going to kill Kyle, I'm going to kill John, I'm going to kill Allison, and I'm going to kill…"

Sarah grabbed Derek's shoulders and forced him to face her.

With a quick flash of frustration, Sarah said to Derek, "Reese! Stop your whining and let's go."

Derek moaned, "I'm going to get my gun. We leave in twenty minutes."

Once Derek was gone, Ellison whispered to Sarah, "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why are you still asking me that question?"

Ellison admitted, "You're…we thought we were going to lose you back there in the hospital. But now you seem to be in good health."

"Sorry to disappoint." She smirked.

Ellison replied, "I'm not the one you should be worried about disappointing."

"I know." She said, switching her thoughts to John.

Ellison wondered, "Do you really have cancer? Or is that a misdiagnosis?"

"I don't know." Sarah said before biting her tongue.

Ellison repeated, "Seriously, do you think you misdiagnosed it?"

Sarah cried, "Look James, I don't know, okay! I don't know what's wrong with me! It's supposed to be cancer because that's what Cameron told me would happen! So just leave it at that."

Ellison nodded and backed off, "Alright."

Just as everyone was leaving Sarah managed to grab Bedell's attention.

She said to to the Captain, "Bedell."

"Yes General." He replied.

"Will you need any help from any of my people?"

Bedell shook his head, "No, I wouldn't think so. Using your military is a risk because if there was even a smidgen of a chance the American government found out Mexicans were conducting military operations on United States soil, you'd be asking for trouble."

Sarah said, "Violating the sovereignty of a nation is just one of many things I'd be willing to do to protect my son."

Bedell nodded, "Believe me General, I know what you're willing to do. I'm just saying you don't have to."

Reluctantly, Sarah nodded, "Fine, we'll see."

* * *

Kyle whispered frantically towards Cameron, "What might that be exactly?! What's this brilliant idea of yours?"

Cameron's eyes beamed upwards. Kyle's eyes followed suit, eyeing a gray ceiling held together by a series of complex steel structures.

He said to her, "I see a ceiling, but that's about it. I can't see why you're smiling. You don't want that thing to collapse on all of them do you?"

Cameron said, "No, that would be inefficient and dangerous. We'd be killed too. But it's gas. I know there's a tank of gas on the upper level."

"So what? You smell gas? What's that got to do with anything?" Kyle replied.

Cameron blasted a shot upwards, startling Kyle. When a big spark upwards caught Lesley's attention, the General found a large hole burnt through the ceiling.

One of Lesley's fellow officers said, "What's the machine doing? Why is it blasting the ceiling?"

Lesley murmured, "Damn it."

Kyle whispered once again in Cameron's ear, "What's going on? Why'd you do that?!"

Without giving a simple answer, Cameron got up, with her gun in hand, suddenly exposing herself to Lesley's army.

Cameron sad to Kyle, "It's safe to come out. They can't hurt us."

"Are you crazy?! They'll kill you." Kyle shouted.

Cameron turned to him and said, "Trust me."

Reluctantly, Kyle got out of hiding and did something his brother told him never to do, trust a machine.

Lesley said to Cameron, who had just revealed herself, and said, "Well, metal, I see you've detected a leaking gas furnace above you haven't you?"

Cameron didn't say anything whereas Kyle remained confused. Fortunately for Kyle, Lesley was about to enlighten him.

Looking straight into Cameron's eyes, the four star General said in explanation, "In the cyborg shooting through the ceiling, you've punctured our ceiling without managing to blow yourselves up. Now that you have exposed us to this flammable gas down here, we can't blast you or this entire room will blow. If I sit here and wait it out, however, my men will be poisoned by respiration of the fuel's toxins. It appears I underestimated you once again you dirty machine."

Kyle said, "So what happens next?"

Lesley smirked, "It means I have to let you go. I may want to destroy the cyborg, but I'm not willing to sacrifice the majority of my men to take you down. Just one simple spark, and it's all over."

Kyle was shocked by the circumstances, but was all too happy to find a way out. Finding their opportunity to escape through the back entrance, Cameron and Kyle backed away slowly and then with a quick dash, ran right through the exit. Meanwhile, Lesley just watched in annoyance as the two got away scot-free.

Speeding their way out, hoping to prevent anyone from following them, Kyle said to Cameron, "That was a genius idea. An idiotic one, but genius."

Cameron took a sudden left, making her way through the halls. Kyle followed closely.

Kyle said again, "Do you have any idea where John might be? He's not answering his radio. Do you think it might be lack of a signal or something?"

Cameron said, "It's either that or Lesley already has him. Maybe she is jamming radio communication somehow."

Kyle said, "I think she would've told us if she had him. If we're lucky, they don't even know he's here."

* * *

 **Lesley's compound: Back in the public sleeping quarters...**

Commander Matthews was disappointed in their failure. He so desperately wanted to capture the machine and prove to the rest of those under his command that they were an effective unit. Instead, they were too busy fixing such "convenient" gas leaks rather than saving humanity from the machines. Seeing Lesley standing there and unoccupied, Matthews gradually approached Lesley looking for orders.

Commander Matthews said to Lesley, "Ma'am, what do you want us to do? That leak will take some time to fix."

Lesley said, "The building is on lock down and we've scrambled communications. There's no way they can escape and there is no way to call for help unless they somehow get to the command center. Seal off this room so that none of the gas leaks into other facilities. Have Reynolds and another man shut down the gas furnace and patch up a whole in the ceiling."

"Thank you."

"I believe the appropriate response is yes ma'am." Lesley corrected.

"I'm sorry, I really meant thank you."

"For what?" She said.

Matthews replied, "Ever since this John Connor came out of nowhere and into the life of the resistance, we have discovered secret independent factions of underground bases with machines and humans living together. We've seen good men like Derek Reese and General Perry swayed by young John Connor's innocence. I left that old resistance behind because it seemed to beyond help. It was beyond change. I knew we needed a revolution there, but I thought it would never come. But just when I thought all hope was lost, just when I thought no one was listening and seeing the declining resistance for what it was, you came along and gave us hope. You proved we didn't have to compromise our humanity to fight Skynet. For that, I'm truly thankful. Whether we win this fight, or lose it, me and my family will never be able to repay you."

Lesley smiled, "Well, if you want to repay me, let's establish ourselves as the real resistance and let's destroy Skynet once and for all."

He answered exuberantly, "Yes ma'am."

* * *

Pacing themselves towards an entrance leading to nowhere, Cameron murmured to Kyle, "Come this way. I can hear someone in here."

Kyle said, "I think this might be the command center. Slow down and be careful. If anyone is in there, we're screwed."

Cameron nodded, but didn't slow her pace. She drew her gun once again, waiting for any danger that lurked there.

They stormed in to find John seated next to Allison. But as for Allison, she was simply lying on the floor unresponsive. John just sat there, with his elbows rested on his knees. He rubbed his face in frustration and confusion at what he'd just done.

Kyle shouted, "What did you do?!"

John looked up, but didn't show any signs of surprise and relief.

He just muttered, "I didn't kill her if that's what you're asking. She's fine. She kept resisting, so I didn't have a choice."

Kyle raced towards her. She just lied their completely unresponsive. The young Sergeant reached for Allison's head and checked her pulse. He relaxed after he felt a strong heart beat emanating from her chest.

Cameron said to John, "We've checked, but the building is on lock down."

Kyle, still a bit distracted by Allison's situation, said, "With...um...uh, the gas leak, our weapons are useless."

Cameron said, "I don't detect gas anymore. Lesley may have fixed the problem."

Kyle said, "Great, so now they can shoot us again."

Cameron deadpanned, "Yes, they can."

Kyle scratched his head, "What are we going to do? How are we going to get out of here? John, you have any ideas?"

Unfortunately, John sat silently without a single indication he was listening.

Kyle said, "John!"

Kyle had seen John's reaction. He seemed upset at what he had done. He hurt Allison. While Kyle was upset too, he was more interested in finding a way to survive this rather than prosecuting John for knocking out Allison. Kyle realized that John still wasn't used to these high stress situations as he was supposed to be. Sarah was right about him. John needed some encouragement from someone who knew him well. This was Kyle's chance to help help him recover from the shock. Kyle took a good long look at Allison. She seemed fine for now. He tore himself away from her and approached John. Quickly, he bent down to John's level and grasped John's shoulders firmly.

He said in a calm tone, "Hey John...John...listen to me."

John, having Kyle's attention, looked at Kyle, "Yeah?"

John's eyes still seemed shaky, as if he couldn't figure out what was going on, but he still seemed to be paying attention to Kyle.

Kyle said, "I need your help John. I know you're a little scared right now, but you need to get yourself together. We have to save Allison here. Are you with me? Are you going to help me out here?"

John nodded, "Okay."

Cameron had watched the whole thing go down in awe. She had seen a lot of things, but she never had programming or any kind of infiltration protocol that told her what to do that might help someone recover from shock. She recorded that information and logged it in for future reference. With John's mind now refocused on finding a way out, the puzzle soon came together for the young leader to be. After a brief moment of silence, he looked to Cameron with a serious look on his face.

John said to the terminator, "Cameron, do they have night vision? There any equipment that Lesley's army can use to see in the dark?"

Cameron said, "They do not appear to have such headwear available."

Kyle said, "What are you thinking? Turning off the lights?"

John said, "Yeah, if Cameron can see in the dark and they can't, perhaps we can give them hell until we can escape…or perhaps if help arrives."

Kyle said, "There's no way to contact anyone on the outside."

John said, "Maybe we can kidnap one of Lesley's people and have one of them do it for us. I don't know. Maybe someone will realize we're gone and come looking for us. Right now, I can't think that far ahead."

Kyle said, "So what do you want to do?!"

John turned to Cameron once again, "Cameron, aren't places like these compounds run on generators? If we take out the generators, we can kill the lights."

Cameron nodded, "There should be. We should find them right now."

Kyle nodded, "Sounds like a plan."

Cameron said, "What about Allison?"

"We'll keep her somewhere safe. But you two are going to exchange clothes." John suggested.

Kyle said, "What? Wait, what?"

John explained, "Cameron, do you think you could pretend to be Allison without giving anything away? It will prevent people from trying to kill you if they think you're Allison."

Cameron nodded.

John smiled, "Good. Well, when Lesley's people are distracted, go to the command center. If there's any chance whatsoever, you'll be able to contact someone at Ziera base. I'll leave it to you to figure out how those communication technology stuff works. When you get in contact with someone, give our people the coordinates and let them do the rest. Think you can do that?"

"Yes, I can. It's the mission." She said.

Cameron walked towards Allison, intending to carry her away and exchange their clothing.

Just as she was about to pick her up, a voice said to her once again, "Oh, and Cameron."

"Yes, John." She replied.

"That purple jacket you're wearing. You've got to give it back to her."

Cameron responded quickly, "Allison told me she didn't want it anymore."

John said, "Cameron, I left that jacket in Allison's drawer for a reason, but oddly enough, you had the sudden urge to take it from her and wear it. Now take it off and put it back on her. If you're dumb enough to keep that on, Lesley will figure out it's you."

"We all do dumb things." She said, taking a good long look at Allison.

John replied, "Yeah, I know. I told you that already. But let's not get caught up in that. We've got to go."

Cameron said suddenly, "John."

"Yeah." He said, turning back to face Cameron.

Cameron said to him, "Go down the hall. To your third left. I think the generators are there."

John did not care anymore how Cameron could have figured it out. All he knew was that Cameron had given him a much needed head start.

After giving Cameron a brief "Thank-you", John turned to Kyle and said, "Well dad, let's go."

Kyle looked at John curiously. Did he just call him dad? Was that a joke or was that a slip of the tongue that just revealed John's thoughts? He tried not to give away his shock while following him to the basement.

* * *

 **Down in the basement of Lesley's secret compound…**

When Kyle and John got into the basement, they were surprised at just how many generators were running just to keep the base functioning. It was a lot. The basement was large and dimly lit, but there were far too many moving parts to count. There was no way to narrow down what to do to shut down the generators or where the most sensitive components were.

Kyle said, "Alright, what is this place? Our base is primarily run on coal, not these advanced looking generators."

"I don't know, but I'm beginning to wish Cameron were here." John said.

John figured that Cameron would have a better time assessing the facility and determining the safest and most efficient method to cut the generators.

Kyle said, "Look, what the hell is this? How will we figure this out?"

Suddenly, John laughed out loud in amusement. He couldn't believe what he had just seen.

Kyle smiled, "You've got to be kidding me. I can't believe it's so obvious!""

There was a large power handle at the very middle of the room. It was currently positioned upwards on the "ON" side. Pulling it down would result in the "OFF" side.

Kyle smiled, "Yeah, that's got to be it."

Kyle pulled his plasma rifle out, "Do you think it will blow up and kill us all if we give it a few blasts?"

John smirked, "Or we could just pull this lever down and see if it shuts off."

Kyle answered thoughtfully, "Good call."

* * *

 **Cameron in the armory…**

Cameron was now undercover. She disliked Allison's clothing. She would've preferred anything to the color green. She had watched a few guards walk by her. They eyed her for some reason, but never said anything to her probably because they thought she might be Cameron. It didn't matter though. She just tried as hard as possible to avoid human interaction on her way to the command center. After a few quiet twists and turns, she entered what she knew to be the armory. Walking through slowly, she happily examined the unique weapons available to Lesley's military organization. The weapons, they weren't necessarily as advanced as Weaver's weapons, but they could damage a machine big time.

Cameron examined the weapons closely, gently brushing her hands across the sleek weapons. Once again, the terminator examined herself. She looked at her clothes in particular. They seemed familiar to her. There was a reason she didn't like green. In fact, she remembered why. They were the exact same clothes she wore in another future. Cameron assessed some data on her CPU...

[Flashback]

 **John Connor's Secret Camp...**

 _Allison Young sat down on a bench all alone. She was drawing something. She always felt the urge to draw. She loved art. She loved dancing. And she loved music. On that day, she had a big craving. She wished the resistance possessed music by Chopin. She felt that Chopin's music was so expressive. It conveyed what was in the hearts of so many in the resistance._

 _A voice behind her said, "Allison, is that you?"_

 _Allison turned around and smiled, "Hi Sergeant Reese, how are you doing today?"_

 _It was Kyle Reese looking at Allison as if he were shocked._

 _Kyle replied, "What the…you…I thought you were captured by Skynet!"_

" _What do you mean?" She replied._

 _Kyle said, "Your division…it was captured by Skynet. How did you escape? How are you here right now?"_

 _Allison was confused to say the least. Allison knew she was in a division, but she could not explain why her division was captured or how she somehow escaped._

 _Allison surmised, "Um, I don't think I ever joined them. Please Sergeant, don't tell Lieutenant Reese. He'll demote me for sure."_

 _Kyle looked reluctantly at Allison, "You caught me in one of my better moods."_

 _Allison squealed, "Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!"_

 _Kyle peaked over Allison's shoulder, "What are you drawing anyway?"_

" _I'm not sure. I just felt like drawing these three dots."_

" _That looks a bit like the lights on an aerial hunterkiller. Why would you want to draw that?"_

 _Allison tilted her head slightly and said_ , " _Is that what it is? Oh, well I better not draw that anymore."_

 _Kyle said, "Maybe you're just disposed to do that. You just can't help but associate yourself with the machines."_

 _Allison joked, "Maybe I am one of them, a machine."_

 _They both heartily laughed together. After all, such a thought was so absurd._

[End of flashback]

A sudden voice in Cameron's head conflicted with her memories.

The voice said, "What are you doing here?"

Only then did Cameron realize this wasn't coming from her memories. This voice was coming from the outside and in the present.

The voice said again, "Allison, what are you doing here?"

Cameron's eyes shifted to the left. She could see Lesley standing by the entrance with a dark frown spread across her entire face.

This was Cameron's moment. She was the most technologically advanced infiltrator on the planet. She had only one goal. She had to pretend she was the very person she was designed to become. She had to become Allison Young. Cameron quickly assessed her memory files and implemented all of them into her infiltration protocol. She put all of Allison's updated mannerisms into play to perform the most convincing impression possible.

Cameron immediately considered she should say stuff like, "I'm such a bitch-whore."

Or perhaps words like, "I'm hopelessly obsessed with John and I can't get over my jealousy of Cameron who is also much better than I am."

Cameron realized, however, that those were facts…and perhaps a bit of wishful thinking. It was not the best way to imitate Allison Young.

She said in a slower and more fluctuating manner., "You know me. I love plasma weapons. I like the black ones the most."

Lesley pointed out, "You only like one weapon. It's the one that Reese gave you."

Cameron smiled and waved her hands around slightly, "What? Just because I have my own gun means I can't sit and admire yours?"

"You've seen better kinds. Where's your weapon anyway?" Lesley said.

Cameron took a good long look at Lesley to see if there was any deceit in her eyes, but she found none. Cameron remembered she had purposely left Allison's plasma weapon with her in favor of her two glocks she had tucked away behind her jacket.

Cameron responded with an annoyed expression on her face, "That's none of your business. It's mine. I'm just here to get a new compressor. It's broken on mine. I thought I might be able to strip it from one of these weapons you have here."

"Is that so?" She responded.

When Lesley glanced to her left, she took a look at the security lock that allowed people into the armory. It was damaged. Someone didn't bother enter the key code. That's when Lesley's eyes widened. No human could damage that lock, not even with a plasma rifle. Eyeing Allison, she slowly and gradually reached for her holster.

Despite Cameron's best impression, Lesley didn't seem to trust her. Cameron didn't know why, but she knew Lesley was fiddling for something by her side. Suddenly, Lesley fired. Cameron dodged the incoming fire. Throwing herself behind a box of crates, she drew her nine millimeter and squeezed off two shots, both missing Lesley. Cameron retreated behind a few shelves of guns while Lesley returned more fire. Lesley tossed her empty gun on the floor and grabbed a plasma weapon. Just as she was about to blast Cameron to smithereens, the power went out. Everything was pitch black. John and Kyle had somehow pulled through for her.

Lesley screamed, "Where are you, you..."

Cameron approached a blinded Lesley and grabbed her from behind. She slammed her body to the closest wall.

Staring at the ghostly shadow of her worst nightmare, Lesley said, "Just kill me you little bitch, that's all you're good for!"

Cameron said, "That's not my call."

With that said, she knocked Lesley down with the butt of her gun and she was out cold.

Cameron picked up her gun, grabbed Lesley's pass key, and headed straight towards the command center without a minute to lose.

* * *

 **Back in the basement…**

A couple of Lesley's men irritably made their way to the basement. The power had shut off and they ended up bumping into a wall two or three times.

The taller of the the two soldiers said, "What the hell is wrong with the freaking generators?! This is never supposed to happen. And where the hell is General Lesley to pass around the orders?!"

The shorter one responded, "I don't know where she is. But it doesn't matter anyway. These generators are supposed to last for years without maintenance. Why the hell does it give way now?"

"We should find out what's wrong quick, or when Lesley finds out, she's going to be pissed."

Feeling there way to the main power switch, they heard someone run swiftly passed them. They could tell by the air that brushed the hair on the necks as well as the light sound of footsteps surrounding them.

The shorter soldier said, "Wait, I heard something."

Suddenly, "Oof! Argh!"

In only a matter of seconds, Kyle and John were dragging their bodies away and scavenging their clothes for unused rifles. John was all too happy he knocked them out rather than having to kill them. He just couldn't afford to have anymore blood on his conscience.

Kyle said, "More will come. We have to move now."

John said, "Good. Let's just find Cameron."

Kyle said, "Maybe we didn't think this through. We can't see much in the dark."

Sudden footsteps approached. John and Kyle stood guard waiting for whatever threat was coming. Who would it be? Was it another soldier? Was it Lesley? Fortunately, it was just Cameron who walked in, holding Allison's limp body in her arms. John and Kyle sighed in relief.

John said, "You had me worried there. I can barely see you."

Cameron nodded, "Yes, I realize that."

John said, "You run into any problems?!"

Cameron said, "The command center was fully functional on backup power. Lesley ambushed me in the armory, but I took care of her. I managed to get to the command center without anyone recognizing me."

"So you contacted someone back at base?" John said.

"Yes, but they already know we're here." She said.

John said in a look of confusion, "What...but how is that...?"

Kyle said, "Never mind that John. Just tell me, how hard did you hit her? Should Allison be out this long?!"

John frowned in annoyance, but Cameron assured Kyke, "She's fine. Her vitals are improving. She will wake up shortly."

The sound of more footsteps approached the sounds of a militia shouting towards each other caught their attention.

John said, "What's that?!"

Cameron admitted, "We're too late. They're coming in after us."

Kyle gritted his teeth, "Damn it!"

Suddenly, an explosion forced the them to take cover behind a corner. Just inches away from them, large wall was blasted right through with an enormous use of explosives. An army of soldiers stormed right through. They were Lesley's militia.

Kyle stepped in front of Cameron in hopes of protecting Allison from what he thought would be an oncoming blast of firepower. Through the smoke and the dust, Lesley stormed right past her own men with a gun in her hand. Her face was as hard as iron and the tightened grip on her gun only proved she was out for blood. She was angry she had been deceived by Cameron. Now she just wanted to kill her even more.

Lesley demanded, "Give me the machine. Turn it over now. If you do that, I won't harm you, John, or your precious Allison."

Kyle said, "In your dreams. You'll have to kill us first."

Lesley said, "I give up on you. I try so hard not to kill you, and still you will not listen."

Cameron shot back, "So did I."

Lesley just grimaced even harder from Cameron's smart mouthed reply.

Lesley turned to one of her men and said, "Show them. Show them all of it. Let them see the robot they're protecting for what it really is."

In between the confrontation of Lesley and John, a soldier stepped forward placed a small metallic box onto the ground. After flipping the activation switch, the box opened and a small projector popped out. Suddenly, a bright light beamed out into a hologram. It was so futuristic that John had never seen anything like it. A large screen expanded with what appeared to be raw footage of a truck driving down on a very long dark road. It was a dashboard video camera recording.

Cameron, Kyle, and John glared thoughtlessly into screen of the seemingly endless road to nowhere. Then the audio suddenly picked up. In a slightly old and static-like voice, they could hear at least two individuals speaking to each other in a vehicle. Because the video was positioned forward and not backwards, their faces were not visible. But by the sound of it, John and Kyle were very certain there were just two men speaking to each other inside a moving truck.

This is what they saw and heard...

 **Video recording...**

 _While driving down a long an endless road, a young boy said to his father, "But dad, I don't want to join the military. Just because you and mom went, doesn't mean I have to. It's not like Joan and Becky are going are they?"_

 _The older man laughed, "Joan's a toddler and Becky's still a baby. I don't think you need to worry about your sisters joining the military. I'm worried about you right now."_

 _"Why? Why worry about me? I'm fine. I have it all under control." Said the young son._

 _The father replied, "Look, you have to understand something. Your mother may want you to be in the military, but at heart, she just wants you to do something good and something that you and she will be proud of. If you want to be a teacher, an engineer, or even a doctor, that will be fine. Just make sure you love it too. That's what's important to us."_

 _"So you don't care if I don't want to volunteer in the military?" He said curiously._

 _The father replied, "Of course I don't. I just want you to be the best you can be no matter what you want to do."_

" _Hey dad?"_

" _Yeah." His father replied._

" _Thanks."_

" _Sure thing kiddo."_

 _Suddenly, a bright and fiery detonation shook the vehicle hard. Immediately, the father slammed on the breaks. They heard the screeching sound of tires getting ripped on asphalt._

" _Woah, dad, what's what?!" Said the young son._

 _Looking forward, there was a large bright round blue bubble on the road that blinded the camera footage. A large explosion cracked the windshield. Suddenly, the bubble's light died down and the camera could pick up the aftereffects of the explosion. Just as the father and the son shielded their eyes, they found that their truck's lights were shining upon an odd figure. It was a human being. The body was posed in a kneeling position. Then it stood up and turned to face the truck._

 _A frightened young man said again to the older man, "Dad, what the hell is that? What's with the explosion?"_

 _The older man said to the younger, "I don't know. Son, just stay in the truck. There's a woman out there. I…I think she's naked. I'll see if she needs help."_

 _The sound of a door opening and slamming shut vibrated the dash camera footage slightly. A fuzzy image of the older man approached the still silent woman._

 _The man shouted, "Howdy! You need help ma'am?"_

 _Seeing no response, the man inched closer, holding out his hand for her to hold onto. The woman seemed to be in a distressful situation, but still lacked any display of care or worry. The woman swiveled her head in robotic fashion to face the man offering her his help. She reached out her hand towards his, snatched it, and violnetly forced him down the ground. Now standing behind him, t_ _he woman reached forward and grabbed his neck. In a flash of a second, she twisted his head to the right and snapped his neck. It all happened in a flash._

 _The young boy screamed, "DAD! No!"_

 _The young son forced himself out of the truck and ran towards his dead father. The naked woman stood their silently, but would not move an inch._

 _Trying desperately to wake up his father, the young man cried, "What the hell did you do him?! Wake up dad! Dad!"_

 _The woman kicked the frantic boy in this side, breaking a few of his ribs._

 _With adrenaline, the young man got up and charged her in his rage. Just as he was about to hit her, she grabbed his arms, twisted, and forced him to his knees._

 _The man said, "I will kill you! I will kill you! Why did you do that? You will pay! I swear I will kill you!"_

 _Those were his last words just before she snapped his neck. He dropped to the ground, and it was over._

 _Lesley fast forwarded the part where she stripped his body naked, put on his clothes, and commandeered the truck while leaving the two dead individuals on the side of the road. It was pretty clear what they had witnessed. The dashcam footage on the right hand side it was the year 1999, the year Cameron came back to the past._

Suddenly, the hologram went blank, and everyone's fixation turned away from the screen and all the way to Cameron.

Lesley said to John, "Your cyborg who you and Kyle Reese try so hard to protect, came to the future. Yeah that's right, I know time travel exists thanks to General Perry. And when that frickin' machine appeared in the middle of that road, it killed my husband and killed my son Jackson on their way home for dinner. Neither Joan or Becky remember, and they don't need to know either. While I've managed to protect Joan and Becky so that they could move on with their lives, I haven't. You've ruined my family. You killed them and you forced me to stay away from all the family I have left. You will pay just like my son said you would right before you snapped his neck!"

Lesley's words were all over the place and difficult to fully understand, but John had gotten the message. Cameron murdered some people, and Lesley was out for blood against the very thing responsible for the death of all those innocent people. John understood. His own father was killed by a machine. Yet even stranger, he sent the same model back in time to protect him and his mother.

Cameron turned to John and murmured his name gently, "John."

John didn't meet Cameron's eyes. He was angry, sad, and going crazy all at the same time. He didn't care what he was seeing, he wasn't going to lose Cameron again.

He shouted towards her, "No! Never!"

Cameron said again, "John, you have to let go. I did what I did."

John said, "Shut up! I won't let you!"

"This is not your decision. I have to protect you no matter what. Lesley won't hurt you, she only wants me." She said in response.

Cameron gently rested Allison onto the floor. She gave John a hug. Then she forced herself away from John's grasp. Then she walked out straight towards Lesley, dropping her gun on the side. John erratically lunged towards Cameron in a desperate attempt to stop her, but Kyle grabbed John from behind.

John said, "What are you doing? Let me go!"

Kyle said, "I'm saving your life! You can't stop her from doing this."

"NO! NO! No, this can't be real! I can't take this again! I can't!"

John's mind freezed from any kind of sensibility. He thought about the past, he thought about the present, then he thought about a future without Cameron. He couldn't think...he couldn't. He knew he would have a meltdown if Cameron were ever harmed.

Lesley quickly ordered, "Bring in the taser."

One of the soldiers wheeled in a large battery on wheels connected to a long rifle-type gun. If anything, this contraption was designed to stun terminators. Taking aim at Cameron, he pulled the trigger and a blast of electricity penetrated Cameron's metallic body. He zapped her right in front of John, collapsing the terminator to the ground. John screamed trying to force himself forward, but Kyle still wouldn't let him. The man reached for his knife, knowing exactly where to go to pull the chip from a lifeless Cameron's head before she rebooted.

Just when all was lost and Lesley had seemingly won, an alarm sounded, confusing everyone in the room. A large number of red lights flashed.

Lesley said, "Damn it, someone's got in! What the hell?!"

Just when Lesley's soldiers were about to investigate the intrusion, a number of HCR soldiers infiltrated the basement through all directions. Some came down the stairs, some went through the same whole that Lesley blasted just five minutes ago, and others blasted their way through the ceiling. No army had that same experience than Green Berets or Navy Seals. They had to be Jason's men. They had to be their to rescue them.

All too quickly, Lesley gave the order she never thought she'd have to give, "Kill them all. Kill the cyborg. Kill the soldiers. Kill everyone!"

An exchange in plasma bolts ensued. Kyle forced John back, away from the fire. He refused to allow John to go out into the middle of fire to drag Cameron's body away.

Kyle said to John, "If you go out there, I'll kill you! When Cameron wakes up she'll come to you. Don't try to be a hero, not today."

John frowned deeply, but reluctantly stayed behind, waiting patiently for Cameron to reboot while men brushed by her killing each other. John couldn't help himself, fearful that a stray bolt might hit Cameron in the wrong spot, ending her life forever. John tried desperately hard not to think that much. Meanwhile, Kyle had dragged Allison away into corner and positioned her to sit upright. That way, she was protected from any oncoming blasts. But then Kyle saw something strange. Allison twitched. After giving her a long stare of excitement, Allison breathed in deeply and opened her eyes slightly. She was awake.

Allison opened her eyes and saw a blurry face staring at her.

She said, "John? K-Kyle?"

Kyle smiled, "Allison, I'm here."

Allison said, "You look a little like John."

Kyle whispered into her ear, "Oh, you've noticed my resemblance have you?"

Lesley's men outnumbered the HCR by a mile. But just when things looked like they were going to be a massacre, Jason, without his protective helmet on, emerged from the gunfire. Just as two of his own men in HCR uniforms dropped to the ground, he blasted two soldiers protecting Lesley. He fearlessly dived onto the General, slamming her to the ground. After a few kicks to her side, Jason flipped Lesley over and said to her bloodied face, "You left your entire base vulnerable to us while you were too busy trying to kill one machine. My men are dying right now because I decided not to drop a bomb on this weakly defended compound. Machines are standing outside right now. I'll send them in and kill every last one of your soldiers unless you surrender right now. You have 10 seconds to decide before I put a bullet in your head."

Lesley looked into Jason's eyes. They seemed to be the crazed eyes of a killer, some sort of psychopath. She saw Jason handing to her a radio to call off the bloodbath. Of course, Jason was bluffing his entire hand, but was it enough for Lesley to surrender?

 **Half an hour later...**

 **Sarah and Derek...**

Sarah Connor and Derek smiled towards each other in satisfaction. They were standing in the basement of Lesley's resistance compound, happy they had successfully rescued everyone from the torment of General Lesley.

Derek proudly said to her, "Your idea to send Jason in there alone was good. We suffered relatively few casualties thanks to a quick surrender from Lesley."

Sarah replied, "Well, I'm not the one that told them to bullet proof their asses with Kevlar."

"You give me too much credit." Derek said.

Derek shifted his head to the left and to the right. One of his men had mentioned to him that Allison was resting and feeling just fine, but he felt the need to see her. He just had to see her with his own eyes to be sure everything was alright.

Sarah, picking up on Derek's distraction, stated, "You are looking for Allison."

"Yeah, you see her anywhere?"

"No, but I really should find my son. I should talk to him." She replied.

"Okay, see you shortly."

 **Kyle and Ellison...**

Just a step away from Derek and Sarah, Kyle and Ellison were having a conversation.

Kyle said to Ellison, "How did you find us? Cameron said you already knew where we were. How was that possible?"

Ellison replied with a bit of a smile, "It's amazing how sneaky an AI we have."

 **Derek and Allison...**

Derek walked about, searching the basement for Allison Young

Once again, Derek repeated, "Allison? Where are you?"

Thanks to the directions given by one of his men, he was directed towards the far corner of the compound some distance away where Allison was supposed to be located. He raced towards her anxiously. Turning to his left, he saw her lifeless figure sitting up against the wall. In a panic, he quickly put his ear to her mouth. He breathed a sigh of relief to know she was breathing very well.

Derek, spotting John just a a few feet behind him, said, "What's wrong with her?"

John said, "She's fine. She's just resting."

Then that's when Derek saw something strange. No one else had been invited to the party, but two ordinary soldiers not belonging to Derek or Jason had entered the premises. These strange men seemed a bit confused, but they knew they were there for a reason. When the men saw Allison Young sitting by herself in a corner, they approached her quickly.

Seeing them come towards her with suspicious intent, Derek blocked their path immediately and said to them, "Hey! Who the hell are you people?! Stay away from her. She's resting."

One of the soldiers facing Derek replied, "We're sorry sir, but we're under orders of General Perry to arrest Allison Young."

"Perry shouldn't know about this!" Derek said, still blocking their path towards her.

John, upon seeing that happening, wanted to step in. However, someone grabbed his shoulder, preventing him from moving forward. It was Bedell.

John said, "Martin?! You're here."

Bedell nodded with a smile and said to John, "Let me handle this. I don't want you getting in trouble"

Just when he said that, he quickly stepped towards Derek in hopes of fixing the problem...and perhaps preventing Derek from doing something he'd regret. Quickly, Bedell forced himself in front of Derek trying to hold him back from assaulting Perry's men.

The Captain said to Derek, "Derek! Don't do this! You can't help Allison if you're trapped in a cell right next to her."

"You know what they'll do to her! They'll interrogate her in the most brutal way and throw her in a god-forsaken cell." He shouted back.

Bedell said, "Listen. I've talked to her doctor. She isn't going to a god-forsaken cell."

"What doctor? Allison doesn't have a doctor." Derek answered.

Bedell said, "She's not mentally stable Reese. She can't get a death penalty for being crazy."

An enraged Derek said, "What did you say?! What did you just call her?"

Bedell stepped back and pointed his finger with a warning, "Watch it Derek. Look, I don't know how Perry knows about this. Perhaps he's got people on the inside. But the best thing you can do for her is cooperate until we can find a way out of this. Perhaps a mental institution of some sort."

Derek tried hard to control his temper, unsure what to do or how to respond.

He said to Bedell, "She isn't crazy. I don't care which doctor she's been seeing, but my Allison isn't crazy. She's upset, that's all."

Bedell replied, "Being upset won't help her case. Don't worry Reese, we'll think of something."

* * *

While Jason scoured the room, he had witnessed the scuffle between Derek and a bunch of other soldiers who somehow weren't supposed to be there. Allison was in trouble as they seemed they wanted to arrest her. Jason thought to himself that he could probably stop them and prevent them from taking Allison away, but if those men belonged to Derek's resistance, then it might end up straining the relationship between Perry's resistance and Weaver's resistance. That would be disastrous, and would probably get him fired. But he had to admit though, it would be a thrill if he could betray the alliance and get away with it. Somehow Jason figured he'd never do it though. Somehow, he felt that Allison, Kyle, and yes, even Derek would be ashamed of him if he did that.

While stuck in his reverie, two soldiers popped behind Jason and said to him, "Sir, we've found two women who call themselves Becky and Joan Lesley?"

Jason replied, "Have Bedell talk to them. Ensure they learn the truth about their mother."

One of his HCR soldiers replied, "But what about Allison Young?! Our mission was to bring her back, but some other people are arresting her."

Jason said, "I don't know, I'll talk to Kyle and figure out what's going on. Meanwhile, just do your jobs and keep this place secure will you?"

* * *

 **John and Cameron...**

Cameron had since woken up. She wasn't particularly emotional. Her face blank. She was sitting on the edge. And she was staring at the ground while HCR soldiers arrested and carried Lesley's soldiers away for prosecution. John had first been distracted by Allison's arrest, but once he turned to find Cameron sitting there, all his thoughts flew out the window. John saw her downward posture. She seemed all alone.

John said to Cameron, "Hey Cameron."

"Yes." She said, tilting her head upwards.

"I'm glad you're not dead. I...I couldn't manage if you were...if Lesley..."

"I know what you mean." She answered.

John smiled and said to her, "Are you okay?"

Cameron said, "I should be asking you the same question."

John said, "Sitting her next to you, being able to talk to you...yeah, I think that makes me pretty much okay."

Cameron said in a soft plain voice, "Everyone wants to kill me these days..."

John laughed, "Believe me, I was born feeling that way."

Cameron said, "Allison is in trouble. We'll have to help her."

John said, "We will, but for now, let's just enjoy the victory. We're alive aren't we?"

Cameron nodded, "Yes, we are."

 **Sarah and John**

Sarah had finally found her son. Much to her expectation, she found John sitting next to his cyborg companion having a conversation about who knows what.

With a slight smile on her face, she said John, "Hey."

"Mom, you're here!"John sat up quickly with a huge grin on his face.

John raced towards her and gave her a strong and tight hug.

After returning his hug, Sarah replied, "Of course, did you think I'd let anything happen to you? Never."

John stepped back to look at his mother, "But you're...you're all better. You don't seem..."

"No son, I'm fine." She said, assuring him that everything was okay.

John just reached in to give his mother another much tighter hug.

* * *

 **Weaver and Jason in Intelligence HQ...**

Jason knew he had questions he had been waiting to get answered for a while, but with Weaver having such a tight schedule, it seemed impossible to get in contact with her. He sat there patiently, praying Weaver would get there soon. He considered talking to a very silent John Henry, but every time he talked to him, he always felt outsmarted somehow. That's why he preferred to keep himself silent while John Henry was in the same room. Just behind him, Jason heard someone behind him. It was the terminator with whom he had arranged to meet. It was Weaver, the T-1001.

Jason said to her, "You're late."

"I know. I had a few complications to take care of." Weaver replied.

Jason said, "I have a few questions here about Cameron. She behaves strangely around me."

Weaver said to Jason without further delay, "Cameron killed you in another future. She appears to have taken your name. That might explain her odd behavior."

"She, what? Why?" He asked.

Weaver admitted, "For that, you will have to ask her."

Jason replied, "So tell me, was that machine really created by Skynet?"

"Cameron? Yes." She said.

"For what purpose?" Jason wondered.

"To replace Allison Young, rise through the ranks, get close to John Connor, and when it most suited Skynet, kill him and assume control of the resistance. She possessed the most advanced capabilities of human infiltration possible."

Jason asked, "So what did you do when you found out she killed Allison Young and replaced her…in that other timeline I mean?"

Weaver explained, "I needed to form a close relationship with John."

"So what did you do? Did you capture Cameron and…reprogram her or something?"

"Yes, I did." She confessed.

"You removed her programming didn't you? You gave her a new one? What was it, this new programming?" Jason figured.

Weaver answered, "To get close to John Connor and forge a new relationship with the cyborg resistance."

"But how would you do that? Unless…you wanted Cameron to reveal herself as a cyborg to John?" He thought.

Weaver answered, "Yes, I did."

"So why did you and Cameron go back in time? Things didn't work out?" Jason replied.

Weaver elaborated, "No. Skynet fought back and John Connor's resistance did not cooperate as much as we hoped. Skynet sent Cromartie back in time to kill John Connor. It only made sense I go back to fix the problem and ensure John Connor wasn't killed twice."

"And you brought Cameron with you to do that?" Jason added.

"Yes, we agreed to save him. Cameron would pose as a machine that John sent back in time, and I would find a better solution to defeating Skynet."

"By solution, you mean John Henry."

"Yes." Weaver said.

"So you're comfortable with the fact that John believes this lie…about Cameron? I mean, it's not like that cyborg chose to follow you all of the sudden. She was working for you the entire time."

"Yes, I'm okay with John believing this lie." Weaver deadpanned.

"Why? Why not tell him the truth?" He asked.

Weaver explained, "John believes that Cameron is his legitimate friend and ally. He believes that Cameron protects him for a reason. In believing this, his relationship with Cameron will grow."

Jason frowned, "But don't you think you're putting him in danger by having him cuddle up with a cyborg whose programming isn't even mean to protect him, but to protect this alliance?"

"No."

"I should've thought so." He sighed.

Weaver said, "To be clear, he will never find out that Cameron was never on his side."

"My lips are sealed." Jason answered

Weaver tilted her head in confusion by Jason's response

Jason shrugged, "I don't know…it's just a common phrase."

"I see." She said.

"Now really, you've got to tell me, how on earth did you manage to save Sarah Connor? There's no way a miracle could have saved her from that type of cancer"

"A mere impersonation of a doctor and a small injection of liquid metal can do much in killing cancer cells." Weaver smiled.

Jason listened in amazement, "Wow, that is pretty sick."

"I intended to do the opposite." Weaver tilted her head slightly.

"No, I mean that's amazing." He replied.

Weaver nodded, precariously.

* * *

 **John and Cameron...**

They were finally back home on Derek's base for nearly an hour. Lesley was in prison and awaiting interrogation. Joan and Becky were hospitalized for minor sprains and bruises. Besides that, they were okay. Sarah and Derek seemed to be hitting it off...and Savannah and Kyle were probably frolicking about. John wasn't feeling too good though. He walked out of intelligence HQ with a bit of sweat on his forehead. He seemed a little nervous and a little bit upset with himself. Cameron who stood outside waiting for him, had picked up on it.

Cameron, who spotted John approaching her, said to him, "Why do you look anxious?"

John said, "Oh no, I'm...um, I'm not anxious. I just had a super serious discussion with Bedell."

"What did he tell you?" She asked him.

John answered, "That when I'm stuck in a jam, I shouldn't be afraid to ask for help, even if it means getting someone in trouble. He tells me I shouldn't try to be a hero and I should never go on a mission all alone. I can't do any of this alone."

Cameron agreed, "He is right."

John smiled, "Yep, because I have you."

Cameron shook her head, "That's not what I mean."

John nodded, "Yeah, I know."

John reached in suddenly and tightly hugged Cameron. Cameron just stared off into the ground, completely stiff and unresponsive to John's touch.

John, confused by Cameron's behavior, said, "Is something bothering you?"

Cameron said, "There's something I need to tell you. You deserve to know the truth."

"If it's something about Allison, don't say it." He warned.

Cameron answered, "No, it's about us. I should've mentioned it to you before."

"What's going on? What do you have in mind?"

"I lied to you." She said.

John said, "You've lied on many occasions. What haven't you told me already?"

"Why I'm here." She responded.

"You're here because you jumped back to the future." John declared.

Cameron replied, "No, we did not meet by accident. Future John's decisions were no accident. It's all a lie."

"What's a lie?!"

Cameron apologized, "I'm sorry John."

"Enough! What are you sorry about?" He demanded.

She finally answered, "You didn't send me back to save you."

"I know, Weaver told me you went on your own accord. I...future me got killed."

"No, I didn't want to."

"What? You didn't want to save me? Were you like...were you forced to save me?"

She shook her head again, "No."

"Huh?" John frowned in confusion.

He still could not understand where Cameron was going.

Cameron explained, "When Skynet sent me to your secret base, I was captured by the cyborg resistance."

"Weaver's cyborg resistance, you mean?" He added.

The cyborg continued in explanation, "They altered my programming and gave me a new initiative that overrode your termination order."

"Which was what exactly? What command overrode a termination order?" He asked.

Cameron replied, "My command was to rise through the ranks, get close to John Connor, and inspire him to form an alliance with the cyborg resistance."

John said, "I...um. So you never worked for me? You were always...your intention was never to protect me, but to preserve a future alliance?"

"Yes." She said.

"But wait? When you came in...were you...were you coming in impersonating Allison?" John wondered.

Cameron answered, "Yes."

"So somewhere in between all that, I found out that you were a machine?"

She deadpanned once again, "Yes."

"But still, that didn't stop you from manipulating me into building an alliance." John realized.

Cameron informed, "The resistance was more important to you than anything else. I convinced you an alliance was the best way to preserve your resistance and protect it from Skynet."

John asked, "But future John never knew that you were secretly a part of this, um, cyborg resistance."

"Yes."

"Wow. That's...that's complicated." He admitted.

Cameron said, all of the sudden, "Maybe I was wrong."

"Wrong about what?" He said.

Cameron murmured, "Allison, Sarah, and Derek say it to me everyday. All I do is hurt people. I can only hurt people. That's what I was designed to do, and that is what I will always do. The best thing is for people to stay away from me. I remember what I did to Lesley's family. I shouldn't be here. I'm a threat."

John replied, "We're all a threat. But living life with an awful fear of losing it is no life at all. You need friends, you need allies. If someone hurts you, well, that's the risk one should be willing to pay."

"Are you upset with me?"

"No." John answered.

Cameron replied, "You should be."

"I don't have to be. I'm tired of being mad at you. I'm tired of being afraid of you. Life's too short."

"Do you really believe that?" Cameron asked.

There was something shining in John's eyes that indicated he wanted to go somewhere. He seemed a little too excited than normal.

John finally said, "Follow me."

"Where are we going?" Cameron wondered, trying to solve the mystery in her CPU. Was it John's birthday? No. Was it her birthday? She couldn't determine that for sure. Perhaps John wanted a private place where he could feel comfortable kissing her.

John just smiled again and repeated once more, "Just follow me."

The two eventually walked right into the mess hall. When Cameron saw what John had done, she finally understood. There were two plates placed on an old rusted table at the corner of the mess hall. They had arrived late, so there were no other people there with them. Looking closely at both plates, Cameron found they were filled with different kinds of food.

John said, "Would you like a seat?"

Cameron sat down, deciding not to respond. She knew she didn't really want to sit down. In fact, she couldn't care less if she was sitting down or standing up. But for John's sake, she decided she would follow suit in accordance with human customs. John seemed to be having a good time, so cooperating was deemed by Cameron to be the best strategy.

Once he was seated right next to Cameron, John said, "Would you like some of this pasty gruel-like food? I can spoon feed you if you like?"

Cameron shook her head, "No."

John said, "How about some of this, what I perceive to be meat-like thing?"

Cameron said once again, "No."

John agreed, "Yeah, you're right. That doesn't seem tasty. How about these beans? They ought to have some flavor."

Cameron said again without delay, "No thanks."

John laughed, "Cameron, it seems you don't want any of what's on our plates."

Cameron replied, "I'm not hungry. You can have it all."

John teased, "Cameron, if you want terminate me, just snap my neck or something. You couldn't possibly be so cruel as to make me eat all of this garbage."

She frowned slightly, annoyed by John's words.

John playfully kissed Cameron on the cheek, playing around with food he really didn't want to eat. He just wanted to spend time with her. It still amazed Cameron, though, how John's behavior had changed over the course of their relationship. Even though she had lied to John several times, murdered innocent people including Lesley's family, and even when she fought on the wrong side of the war in other futures, John still cared about her. Only a few years ago, John would've resented her. He would've pushed her away and ignored her. But the moment she left him, the moment she put herself in any kind of danger, John was there ready to take her back and forgive her of all her wrongdoings. Cameron knew that by human standards, she didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve any of it at all.

Cameron interrupted their moment of glee. Upon her own self-realization, she immediately needed him to promise her something that was very important to her.

After a brief moment of thinking, she said, "John, I want you to promise me something."

"Promise? Promise you what?" He asked.

"You know I'm damaged on the inside. If I ever go bad, you have to stop me...even if it means hurting me. For your sake, you must do it."

John replied, "I'll promise to do that if you make a promise to me too."

"What's that?" She said.

"Don't ever go bad. Don't ever make me do something like that. Just stick with me no matter what."

"I'll try." She said.

John smiled, "Then I'll try too. You know I can't lose you Cameron. Never in a million years."

Cameron nodded, "I know."

* * *

 **Allison Young...**

Allison sat all alone inside the moving transport vehicle, except for the lone guard seated in the opposite corner staring at his nails. She had thought long and hard about what she did. She knew what she was doing would hurt Derek, but what else could she do? Kyle and Derek, as much as they disliked Cameron, were not going to hurt John by taking away Cameron. And this Weaver person who seems to lead the cyborg resistance is certainly not going to do that. Allison knew "hurting" John had to be the right thing to do because in reality she was helping John. At the end of the day, she believed getting rid of Cameron was something she was doing out of love for John. She knew she was in a hell of a lot of trouble for what she did. But Allison didn't regret it. She knew that at the end of the day, someone would find a way to rescue her. But being all alone inside that truck dimmed that feeling of being rescued significantly.

Allison's hand were handcuffed behind her back, but she knew she was flexible enough to silently slip her hands in front of her. Then while the guard was still obsessed with his nails, she'd lunge for him, wrapping those handcuffs around his neck. Then she could take his keys and get rid of the handcuffs. She'd take his gun and blow open the doors. Once the driver stopped, she'd blast him away, and then she could drive off and escape.

But Allison knew that was wrong. She could do a lot of things, but she wasn't crazy. Maybe she was angry, perhaps jealous, but she knew she wasn't crazy. She didn't need a doctor. She didn't need anyone's forgiveness. No one would have allowed a machine that mercilessly killed two people to run about on Derek's base. Yet John made the exception for Cameron. Liking Cameron more than the other machines was not a good enough excuse for letting a machine get away with murdering two innocent people.

Allison had finally made peace with herself. If she rotted away in jail, so be it. It didn't matter anymore. She just didn't care. She was kind of confused though why her clothes suddenly changed. She promised herself she'd never wear that purple jacket again, but it was on her! It was like that jacket could never get away from her. It was as if no matter what, Cameron would always be there. She'd always be a part of her, haunting her until the day she died.

Bang!

The sound of a tire exploding forced the truck into a swerve, cutting out Allison's thoughts.

Allison shouted, "What's going on?!"

Suddenly, a series of metal clangs indicated that someone or something was trying to force the back doors open. With one final thrust, the doors gave way.

The guard opened fire directing it towards the large figure standing in front. But there was too much sand and dirt in the air that he couldn't see a thing. Suddenly, small object got tossed into the vehicle. It was a smoke grenade. Allison suddenly closed her eyes and covered her nose. She coughed and she choked as an explosion of fumes surrounded her. But someone grabbed her by the shoulders. Whoever it was, he was strong and powerful. It made her feel kind of light and flimsy.

She felt herself being tossed out of the truck. She hit the dirt hard, struggling to find her footing. When her arms forced her body upwards, she squinted hard trying to see what was going on. She heard someone step towards her quickly. This person was not the same one that through her out of the truck. He had warm hands. He was gentler. He had a soft voice. He quickly turned Allison on her back and into his arms. Taking a good long look at Allison, he brushed the sand and dirt off her clothes, face, and hair.

His voice said, "Sorry about that Ally."

That voice was familiar. Whoever this was, she knew him.

When Allison opened her eyes widely and looked directly at him, she felt shocked and confused all at the same time.

She said to him, "Will? Corporal?! What…are you doing here? Don't you know you could get in a lot of trouble for this! Don't you know what I did?"

Colonel William replied, "I don't care what you did."

"What did you do with the guard?" She said.

"He's taking a nap."

"The driver too?"

"Yep."

"Who tossed me from the truck?"

Will replied, "A T-600. I smuggled it out of the Derek's storage facilities to help me get to you. Hopefully, when those drivers wake up, they will think Skynet attacked them and not me. I had to save you, so I planned this out in great detail."

"Save me from what exactly? What are you doing here? How did you know I was here? Why…why did you come after me? Where did that T-600 go?" Allison ranted.

Will answered in a calming tones, "I can answer those questions later. But Allison, I…I don't know how to tell you this…but I've got to tell you. I've been debating whether I should, but I know I feel I have to."

"Tell me what? What do you have to tell me?"

"It's going to be a little strange."

"Just tell me."

"Allison, I'm your uncle."

"What?"

Will said to her, "Your father…Mike…well, I was his brother. I…survived judgment day. I thought everyone I loved was dead. But then I heard about this girl on base with a sassy attitude and excellent marksmanship. I heard she came out of Palmdale, and that her name was Allison. That's when I knew you survived. That's when I knew some of my family had survived."

Allison screamed, "You're lying. My family's dead"

"No Allison, I'm not. That's what I thought too, but look at me, does it look like I'm trying to deceive you?"

"You never told me your last name." Allison said.

"My name is William H. Young. Your aunt's name is Julie Young. And Allison, you have a little cousin."

Allison cried, "A baby?"

"Yes, you have a family Allison. We're your family, and we want to take you home."

Upon hearing those words, Allison's face blanked. Her mouth lay open and agape, unsure how to respond. A river full of emotions flowed through Allison. Her faced scrunched together and tears flowed through her eyes. She was crying.

* * *

 **Charles Fischer...**

Cameron sat inside the mess hall. She had convinced John to leave after his meal and rest. While Cameron sat there all alone, deciding what she should do, she noticed there was a young child seated at a table who had tossed her dried fruit onto the ground. The little girl's mother tried desperately hard to explain that wasting food was bad. But no, the girl would not listen. Cameron glared at the girl's rebellious behavior.

The mother said to the girl, "You know other kids don't have this food like you do. Please eat it."

The girl shook her head, "No!"

The mother picked up the food and while bringing it to her daughter's mouth, said to her, "Here comes the choo choo train."

The child merely knocked her mother's food away. This triggered something in Cameron. She just had to respond to such inappropriate behavior.

She approached the girl slowly, faked a smile, and after crouching down to her level, said to her, "Eat your food please."

She replied, "Shut up metal."

The mother looked nervously upon the machine that looked like Allison, but didn't say anything.

Cameron suddenly flashed her eyes blue, and in a louder deeper tone, said again, "Eat your food now!"

The girl, frightened by Cameron's eyes, swept the food off the floor and stuffed it in her face all at once. She couldn't even chew because she because there was no room for her teeth to move.

Upon seeing Cameron, the anxious mother said, "Come dear. Let's get out of here."

The girl replied, "Mmmrhgggmlf."

As Cameron watched them leave, she heard footsteps behind her. She turned around to see Charles Fischer staring at her.

 **HUD:**

 **Subject: Unknown**

 **Assessing memory files...**

Cameron had seen this person before. Derek Reese from 2008 had sent her a photo of that same person. Who was he? Why was he here from the future? Unless...unless this man jumped from the future to the past. If that was the case, he was important to the resistance somehow. Keeping those serious thoughts to herself, she just stared guardedly at him.

Fischer, upon spotting Cameron in the mess hall said, "Oh, Allison Young? Derek's friend, right?"

Cameron shook her head, "No. Allison Young is on a prisoner transport vehicle. She is being taken to an undisclosed secure facility."

"Oh, you're the machine then. I didn't know they allowed metal in here."

"They don't." Cameron said.

Fischer smirked, "Oh, a ruler breaker are you now?"

Cameron said, "Who are you?"

"What's it to you?" He answered.

"I know you." She admitted.

Fischer answered, "You do eh? I can't say the same about you though."

Cameron pulled the glock out from behind her waist. She aimed it squarely on Fischer's forehead.

She said, "You're coming with me. You're a threat."

Fischer said, "No, I don't think so."

"You can't escape."

Fischer smirked, "You have no idea what Skynet's been doing while you've been on your little escapade against Lesley. We've been slowly creeping in. We've been compromising everyone that is close to you. When the moment strikes, Skynet will destroy this base and any chance of a resistance. Sure, we've been distracting you when we sent a machine after John Henry. We've been distracting you when Skynet sent a drone after you. But when my work here is done, the machines will come. They will come and they will kill every last one of you. The time is coming. The time is coming when humanity will finally get what it deserves."

"And what does humanity deserve?" Cameron said, tilting her head.

"Total annihilation."

Cameron's answered, "No, it doesn't. Just you."

The sound of a gunshot sent several soldiers and machines barreling towards the mess hall.

* * *

 _So for the scene in which Allison learns that she has an uncle, I figured i'd just provide some more context on what Allison is feeling. Allison feels alone, isolated, and very much unloved. She feels as if Kyle and Derek are abandoning her and prioritizing John instead of her. She feels that despite everything she has done to get John to like her, it has not worked. She feels worthless because John rejects her for a machine. She feels like something is wrong with her. So when Will comes along, rescues her from prison, and tells her she's got a real family that survived judgment day, you can figure out what Allison is feeling on the inside._

 _And don't forget that Charles Fischer is a part of the TSCC universe on television. If you can recall, Jason had brought him along to Ziera base._

 _Oh, so you might be wondering what Savannah's up to...well, let's just say she's helping Joan and Becky readjust back to life at Ziera base. They're still a little shaken up by everything._

 _Final chapter will be Chapter 36! Hope you still have it in you for one more chapter._


	36. We All Die One Day

Chapter 36

* * *

 _Yes, I am finished with this story. Thank you so much for the readers who've been sticking with me all the way._

 _Please note that once you get into the chapter, you will feel as if a chapter is missing from the story. Trust me, you didn't miss a chapter. I've written Chapter 36 this way on purpose._

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 **(2027) Ziera Base**

The frightening sound of gunfire and plasma bolts ripped throughout the night sky. The shouts of "MACHINE!" and "TERMINATOR" didn't help ease the tension. The clanging sounds of metal punching metal continued. It became the clear that John Henry and his machines weren't fighting Skynet to stop them from breaking into Ziera basement. They were simply fighting to see how long they could hold them off. As the enemy machines, all covered in flesh, pushed forward in silence, there came the sounds of men and women screaming in fright. To hear so much terror burned all the way through John's heart. He felt incredibly guilty that there was nothing he could do to stop them. He had to go out there. He couldn't justify hiding in the barracks when he needed to help them out of harm's way. Yeah, he was scared out of his mind, but John had a renewed sense of vigor. He had to go fight and he was going to do it now. He was more determined than ever.

Just as he was about to jump right out from behind the toppled table to go out and join the fight, a feminine voice shrieked, "John! Stop!"

Turning to his right, John saw an anxious Allison Young standing only a few feet away from him. John blinked twice to make sure he was looking at Allison and not Cameron. He saw her eyes. Her eyes were wide open, her bodily motions were fluid, and her purple jacket all indicated it was Allison.

Confused by her unexpected presence, John said, "Allison? You shouldn't be here! The military police are searching for you!"

Allison shouted, "Never mind that! John, you have to get out of here! You're not going to make it unless you run!"

All of the sudden, a terminator burst through the room, aiming squarely at John's head. John's hesitancy to react only condemned him to his last breath.

Allison instinctively leaped towards John, forcing him away from the blast while at the same time aiming for the murderous cyborg. With one blast from Allison's gun to the terminator's head, the Skynet machine dropped quickly. Allison hit the ground hard. When John opened his eyes, he was unscathed. Not a scratch did John find on his body. Slowly and grudgingly forcing himself off the ground, he noticed the inactive machine lying there with a seared whole in its head right by the barrack's large entrance. Looking behind him, John saw that Allison was strangely motionless too. She was lying on her front and there was a burnt hole at the dead center of her back. John's heart leaped. Was Allison dead?

When John raced over to examine the injury, he found much to his relief that her purple jacket had absorbed the blast. That's when John remembered that he asked a few technicians to incorporate bolt-proof material into Allison's jacket to protect her from the dangers of Ziera base. John immediately thanked his past self for it.

Seeing that Allison was not responding to him, John flipped her on her back to see her face. To John's ire, there was a second wound on her body, and it wasn't small one either. There was gash in her neck. Only then did John realize the machine managed two shots on her before Allison could kill it.

Now that Allison laid there flat on her back, John observed that her wound did not completely cauterize from the blast, allowing fresh blood to spill out onto the floor. Despite rapid blood loss, she was still conscious. Allison's eyes suddenly shot open. She could feel the numbing in her neck thanks to the adrenaline pumping through her body. She looked up to the ceiling, awaiting her inevitable fate. She was in shock, her heart was racing, and she was surely bleeding to death. She couldn't speak, for she feared she'd further damage her fragile neck.

John screamed, "NO! NO! NO!"

In his panic, he turned to his left and to his right trying to find something to use that could help her. Finally, he grabbed a table cloth from a nearby table and pressed it on the side of her neck.

Before John could say anything to comfort her or at least slow her breathing, Cameron marched into the room with a blank look on her face. The cyborg held tightly to someone, trying to prevent this unknown person from losing balance. It was John's mother Sarah Connor being helped by Cameron. When John's eyes shifted to his mother, he could see that Sarah's left abdomen was bleeding out too. She was shot. Despite Sarah's excruciating pain and lack of breath, Sarah let go of Cameron and limped by herself into the abandoned barrack. She slowly let herself down next to the doorway, trying desperately to prevent her wound from bleeding out more than it already was.

Sarah groaned, "Damn it. I…"

Whatever words Sarah said didn't matter as it got drowned out from two quick blasts from the rifles from Derek and Kyle Reese. After squeezing off a few more shots, they stumbled out of the chaotic warzone and into an increasingly busy barrack.

Kyle looked to Sarah and John and said, "There you guys are."

Derek frantically said to his brother, "Where's Savannah?"

Kyle assured him, "She's safe. Savannah told me she'd be hiding in a bunker with the rest of the civilians."

Derek didn't know why all of the sudden he was concerned with Savannah. In fact, he and Savannah never really talked much. He figured he never liked the idea of his brother having a girlfriend because it might distract him from his work. But now Derek realized that Kyle's girlfriend didn't distract Kyle, it distracted him. Was he jealous? Was he simply annoyed that Kyle was in a relationship that he technically wasn't? Or perhaps Derek had found himself getting attached to her. That thought from Derek got cut short with the explosive sound of an aerial strike that violently shook the ground. Derek realized that if Skynet found out they were hiding in the barracks, they'd be gone forever. Nevertheless, it was a gamble they had to take. They had to hide somewhere.

Derek nodded, "Good, make sure Savannah doesn't move from safety."

Knowing that his brother Derek was present with him, Kyle wondered in much concern, "You're in command of my men aren't you Derek? Whose leading them to defend the base if you're here with me?"

Derek replied, "Bedell is loyally working alongside Perry to lead the men. We should be good for now."

Cameron, who witnessed their conversation, said to the Reese siblings, "John Henry says more enemy machines are coming. They are closing in. Perry won't hold them off much longer."

Derek and Kyle immediately replaced their focus on Cameron and the injured Sarah Connor. Swiveling their heads once again, they found John tending to an even more severely injured Allison.

Once Derek realized that Allison and Sarah were bleeding out, he snapped, "General?! Allison?! What is Allison doing here? What's going on?!"

Derek shifted both ways. He wasn't sure who to help first. Should he help Sarah or should he race after Allison? Cameron found Allison's injury to be more serious, so she approached her and crouched down next to John. The terminator gradually reached for Allison's neck. This time, Cameron wasn't trying to snap it. She simply wanted to examine her wound while John calmly watched in silence.

Derek, without hesitance, shouted in a commanding and irritable tone, "What are you doing metal? Get away from her!"

Cameron knew that Derek, despite all they'd been through together, would not trust her. Nevertheless, she needed him to cooperate for fear that things would get worse.

Cameron explained to him, "Allison is bleeding out because the blast nicked her artery. If you want her to live, you need to squeeze right here so the blood does not spill out."

Kyle, despite being nervous as hell, volunteered, "Derek, I'll do it. My hands are steadier than yours."

Derek didn't say anything. Cameron was right. There was no way Allison could be bleeding out that much unless Cameron was telling the truth. And with Kyle having steadier hands than Derek did, it made sense that Kyle best tend to Allison rather than Derek himself. Seeing that Derek decided to cooperate with her, Cameron merely nodded, showing Kyle where to hold to prevent the bleeding. Derek pulled his hair in frustration, wanting to help, but not figuring out a way to do so. His whole defense strategy for Ziera base fell apart the very moment he found Allison lying there hurt. She really wasn't supposed to be there and that was a dangerous distraction for him.

Derek suddenly grabbed John by his shoulders ranting, "How did this happen? What did you do to Allison?!"

Cameron's HUD immediately classified Derek as a threat to John's safety. Cameron was about to throw Derek into a wall when John waved her off. Cameron disliked John's decision to not hurt Derek. To Cameron, Derek always seemed like a guy who needed a good kick in the backside. Nevertheless, she restrained herself from further physical contact against John's uncle.

John gritted his teeth and said to Derek, "She saved my life, that's what she did. There was nothing I could do!"

"You son of a bitch. What idiotic thing did you do now? What did you do to get her killed?" He snapped.

Kyle interrupted in a disapproving tone, "Derek!"

Derek shouted, "Allison literally throws herself and kisses John's feet and all John does is kick her to the curb! What do you expect me to say Kyle?!"

Derek, confused by Kyle's angry tone, watched his brother's menacing face. Derek hated it to see his brother this angry with him.

Kyle said to Derek, "Let go of John! He's not the enemy, he's your nephew!"

Derek, though very reluctant, obeyed his brother's wishes and let go of John. Derek wasn't sure how to think of John. While Derek wanted John to stay safe and while he did have some concern for John's well-being, he wasn't sure that he could call him his nephew. After all, his brother never had children. That was another brother that he never knew that fathered John Connor.

John, in the mean time, didn't say a word. What Derek said about him really hurt the young teenager. The way Derek described him was like that of a selfish man who cared for himself more than others. While John knew there was more to the story than that, he felt really bad. He felt like he was the bad guy and that Allison was the victim.

Without getting a chance to argue in his own defense, another human being dashed into the room right behind Derek Reese. It was Corporal William Young.

Out of time and out of breath, William gasped, "Allison?! Oh Allison?! What's happened?! No! What's wrong with her?!"

Will looked closely at his niece lying on the floor. He couldn't believe it. Allison had somehow outrun him and outmaneuvered him at every corner in the heat of battle just to find John. Will cursed himself for leaving her alone. He never should've taken the woman and her son to the infirmary or else he could've stopped Allison from getting harmed. Taking a closer look at her, Will noticed that Allison was breathing heavily. Her eyes were still wide open, but she did not say a thing. After all, her neck was still cut open and she was still in very serious shock.

Corporal Young looked on in a panic, "Ally?! What happened to her?!"

John interrupted, "Who the hell are you?!"

"I'm…I'm Allison's uncle." Will answered.

"Corporal…you're what?!" Derek said.

Derek obviously had known William for years and the Corporal had never mentioned Allison as a niece, so he seemed a little confused to hear William say that she was related to Allison Young

Kyle shouted, "We don't have time for this conversation! What are you doing here Corporal? How did you know we were here?"

Will replied, "I...I was sent her with a message."

Kyle nodded, "Okay, go on Corporal."

"I brought Allison here. She just…she…" He said, allowing his eyes to stray towards the injured Allison.

Derek groaned, "Man, you're useless. You've got nothing useful!"

Will finally gathered himself and said, "No Reese, I do have something to tell you. This um, Weaver person. Yeah, this person named Weaver approached me just before I could catch up with Allison. She knew me somehow. She told me to find you all in the barracks and send you message. The message was that she and Savannah were almost finished working on the TDE. She says her intelligent friend John Henry is ready to go with the…I think he said it was a time machine. Who's John Henry anyway?"

John didn't have time to answer Will's question. He just couldn't believe what Will was saying. While Will spoke in a very rough and cryptic manner, John knew what was going on. Weaver wanted him to go back in time. She wanted him to give up, go back, and try to stop judgment day once again.

John responded out loud, "What?! This has got to be some joke. We've been in 2027 for a long time. I find it hard to believe that Weaver's just giving up now on the resistance and going back. No, we can't…no we can't leave everyone. I can't. We're staying in 2027."

Will replied, "What do you mean by that?"

Still ignoring Will's confusion, Sarah raised her hand to grab John's attention.

Sarah wheezed out, "John!"

John, still preoccupied with Allison's injury, had almost forgotten that his mother Sarah was injured. Eyeing her wound attentively, John instinctively approached her, pulled off his jacket, and pressed it hard against her side.

"Mom? Look at you, you're hurt really bad! You need to go to the infirmary now." John said.

Sarah said, "It's fine John."

John shook his head, pressing even harder on the wound at the same time.

He said, "You're bleeding. No, you're not fine. Someone needs to be here to keep compression on your wound."

"I'm sick. You shouldn't bother. I'll be kicking the bucket at some point." She said.

John shouted back, "No. Cameron told me you didn't have cancer. She told me you were misdiagnosed. I know it. You're not supposed to die like this."

"We all die one day." She commented.

"Never!" John screamed, annoyed by Sarah's fatalistic attitude.

Sarah said, "Go back John. Go back and grow up, mature, and make me proud. Weaver's right that you should go. I've said it before and I'll say it again. Become the leader you were always meant to be."

Sarah seemed out of breath. Sitting up against the wall was extremely painful, but she tried her best to hide it from John. John's face crumpled together. He couldn't bear to see his mother like this and he couldn't process what his mother was telling him.

He murmured, "I was happy mom. I…I am happy being right here with everyone. We were like a family! I know I didn't talk to you very much and I'm sorry, I…but I was happy."

Sarah assured him, "I know John. But I'll be fine. Go back and you can see me again before I go after Skynet. Who knows, maybe you can figure out something I didn't do and stop judgment day. But John you must go back. For everyone's sake you have to go back. It's far too bad out there. We won't last long."

John cried, "No mom, I can't."

Sarah's dry lips opened, "John, I've always been proud of you. I know it's been hard, but I'm asking you as your mother to do the right thing. Weaver is right. Go back. Please. Sarah Connor from 2009 needs you. I promise you things will be okay."

"Connor!" A sudden interrupting voice from Derek indicated that his uncle wished to speak with him.

For a split second, John looked behind him and answered, "Yeah?"

"Allison, she says she wants to talk to you." Derek said.

Somehow, despite Allison's injury, she could still speak, although she used a very soft and gentle voice.

John, looking back to his mother briefly, noticed Sarah nodded to him. In other words, she allowed him to speak with Allison. Quickly, he got up, turned around, came closer, and bent down so that he and Allison were face to face. He and Allison were so close in fact, they could hear each other breathe. Allison opened her mouth. Her face, it was in so much pain and discomfort. John couldn't bear to look at her. Allison whispered so quietly that he could hardly hear her voice. Derek and Kyle, too, struggled to hear her speak.

She looked directly at John and strained out with all her might, "John, I'm sorry for hurting you. I…I am sorry if…"

Allison swallowed hard and then continued, "…I hurt your feelings. That's the last thing I wanted. I'm sorry if you hate me because of it."

John said, "Allison, there's nothing in the world that you could do that would change how I feel about you."

Allison coughed out, wanting to say something, but found herself unable to do so.

Kyle interrupted, "Slow down Allison. You're moving your head too much. Just relax."

Allison ignored Kyle and continued his conversation with John.

Allison said to John, "I heard your mother. She's right. You should go back."

John muttered, "I…I can't leave you. This is wrong. You just saved my life. I can't…"

Allison said once again, "If you don't leave, you won't be able to save us. Skynet is winning. You have to go and fight. The world doesn't deserve death and destruction. It needs peace. And…if it means anything to you, give me the life I've always dreamed of. Where I could live with my parents, do art, play the piano, and maybe even learn to ride a bicycle."

A tear rolled down John's cheek, "You promised me that if we ever went back to the past, you'd come with me. You'd come with us."

Allison smiled slightly, "I'm sorry I couldn't keep that promise. Cameron can look out for you instead."

Cameron heard Allison's words, but made no motion or comment. She simply absorbed every word Allison told John.

John repeated again, "I have to stay here. I can't leave."

Kyle observed the entire conversation with Allison. Did Allison really want John to leave the timeline? Kyle wasn't sure he wanted him to leave either. Despite all he learned about John, he felt like there was still much more to get to know about him and so many more things they could do together if he just had the courage to do them. But he didn't have time to contemplate. He had to think fast, and his gut told him that leaving was the best option for John. It seemed Allison was getting nowhere with John, so he decided to cut into his conversation with her.

Kyle interrupted, "John, I don't want you to leave either. I really don't. I don't want you to change the past either, because it means I'll never know Allison Young. But you have a job to do. No matter how hard you try, there is no one else capable of being that strong and capable soldier that can lead us to victory. It doesn't matter if you end up doing it by preventing judgment day or simply winning through a long and drawn out war. But you have to go now. Don't let us get in the way of that. Listen, I'm proud of you, I'm happy to have met you, but you have to go now."

Cameron added, "John, do you love them? Do you care about them?"

John said, "Why would you ask that? Of course, I do!"

Cameron argued, "If you love them, then you need to leave them. Skynet has outsmarted us this time, but we're not finished yet. If you want to continue fight, if you want to stop Skynet, then it starts in 2009, three years before judgment day. It's time to go."

Cameron's words pushed John over the edge. In staying here, John knew that Skynet was coming closer to killing them and winning the war. He had to act now. He had to stop it before it was too late. John impulsively turned and gave Kyle a hug. Kyle was surprised to say the least by the awkward hug as Kyle was still holding Allison's neck, but it was a welcomed one.

John said, "Kyle, I really miss you. I always will. You're still my dad, no matter what timeline you're in."

Kyle said, "Have a safe trip. Take care of yourself."

Moving on to the injured woman lying on the floor, John captured Allison's hand, closed it into a fist, and gave it a kiss, "I'll miss you too. Thanks for saving me. I will never be able to repay you."

Allison's eyes met John's and she said to him, "If you want to repay me, then find me. In 2009, find me. Look out for me. And most importantly, make sure nothing happens to my parents. If you can't stop judgment day, then at least keep them alive if judgment day ever happens."

John assured her, "I will."

Quickly, John got up and said, "I'll always miss all you guys. You felt like a real family to me."

Kyle said with a warm smile, "We are your real family."

John wouldn't dare think about Kyle's statement too long. Any moment now, he felt he'd mentally break down and cry away his tears. But he knew that's not what a leader would do. A leader had to keep his emotions in check, and that's what he intended to do.

John said to Cameron now standing beside him, "Cameron, let's go find Weaver. We've…we've got to go. I'll check for an opening and then we'll make a dash for Ziera basement."

Cameron nodded, "I'm right behind you."

Just when John was out of earshot, searching for an opening to break away from the barracks, Allison found an opportunity to speak with Cameron.

Seeing Cameron staring at her from above, she said to the cyborg, "Take care of him Cameron. And make sure that you win."

Cameron knew Allison was saying so much more than those few simple words. Broadly speaking, Allison had finally surrendered to Cameron. Even though Allison tried to kill her more than once, the human woman respected her cyborg counterpart and accepted that Cameron would be responsible for protecting John in years to come. Even though Allison was a very determined person, she was still human in nature. Allison accepted that she just wasn't good enough to protect John Connor. While Allison could take a bullet for John once, Cameron could take multiple, and that's why Allison knew Cameron was better. Now of course, Allison wasn't completely sorry she tried to kill John's protector. She honestly hated Cameron just as much as she liked her. But it Allison's mind, it was what it was. Her relationship and interactions with Cameron would always be the weirdest, strangest, best, and yet most difficult phases of her incredibly unique life.

After acknowledging her final requests, Cameron nodded and turned to follow John out of the barracks.

Once Cameron stepped out, Kyle said to Allison, "Ally, I wasn't wrong. If John does stop judgment day, then you might never actually meet me or Derek in a new timeline. I thought about it, and I'm sure that is what will happen."

Allison nodded, "I know, but you won't know that or remember any of it. I won't know that either if John stops it and we end up never meeting in the future. Remember, this is bigger than you or me. This is about 6 billion people whose lives will be taken or torn apart if we don't stop it. The world doesn't deserve that. My mom and dad don't deserve that either. I have to save them if I can just like you would save yours if given the chance. Kyle, don't you remember that story you told me about the animal that Derek killed? You cried, remember? That should never happen. We need our parent's love. We need our parents to take care of us so that we nevery cry out in fear or hunger. We shouldn't grow up without a mom and dad."

Kyle knew where Allison's words were coming from. He realized that Allison believed that the love of parents was something she could never experience. Kyle figured that Allison believed there was none who could love her more than her parents. Kyle wholeheartedly rejected that notion.

With that in mind, Kyle said to Allison, "Allison, listen to me. There's something you need to know. To me and Derek, you were always the most important person in our lives. When John came, we left you alone and focused more on John because we thought giving you space would make you more independent. We thought that giving you some freedom might show us the special potential we knew you already had. I'm sorry if you ever thought differently. We just focused more on John because he needed more help than you did. Just remember, we love you the most Allison. That never changed."

A tear dropped from Allison's eye. How could Kyle Reese say that? Kyle cared for her more than his own son? That meant a lot to her.

Allison said, "So, you don't think I'm the bad guy? When I turned against John, your own son, you didn't hate me for it?"

Kyle said, "I understand why you did it. I don't agree with what you did and in other circumstances I would probably ground you for it. But I'd never hate you for it. Never Allison."

During that conversation, Sarah Connor had an idea that she needed to tell Derek. Derek immediately turned to Sarah when the General slowly waved her hand for his attention.

She said, "John and Cameron are gone, but Derek, you need to go with them. The medics should be here shortly. You don't need to be here anymore."

"What? You're crazy." He barked ecstatically.

Sarah spoke once more even louder, "Yes Reese, you."

Derek shook his head in disbelief, "But I can't…It can't be real. There's no such thing as time travel."

Sarah warned, "You better believe it Lieutenant. We shouldn't need to waste time telling you its real…because it is real!"

Kyle, who overheard their conversation, said, "Derek, I have Allison right here with me. I won't let her bleed out. Go with him."

Allison looked to Kyle and whispered, "Kyle, it's okay. If you go with Derek to the past, I won't bleed to death because it never happened! It's time travel. Nothing you do to me now will hurt me."

Kyle shook his head, "No Allison. That's not right. I'm staying with you right here."

Allison said, "You'll get killed."

Kyle answered, "I don't care. I'd never let anything happen to you. That's a promise. It would be wrong to leave you like this."

Will added, "I don't know what's going on. But I'm staying here with you too Allison. You just met my family, so I'm not just about to let you go."

Allison had almost forgotten that her uncle was there with her. Will crouched down and stretched out his hand to touch her. She watched Will hold her hand tightly.

Will said, "Jenny's going to kill me if anything happened to you."

Allison murmured, "I'll be fine."

Derek, in the meantime, still processed the weight of Sarah's statement. Did she really want him to travel to the past? No, that couldn't be it. It just couldn't be it at all.

Derek demanded from Sarah, "Why are you asking me to do this? I can't do that. I can't leave you and I can't leave Allison! I have to protect all of you. John was right, no one should be leaving."

Kyle interrupted, "Derek, you are protecting us. And you're protecting John too if you go back. Listen, I don't know Sarah the way the other Kyle did. I don't know John as much as I want to. You have to go back. John has always been fond of you more than me and you've got far more experience mentoring young people than I did. You practically raised Allison."

Derek frowned, "That's not true. You're John's dad, not me! And Allison practically raised herself so that argument doesn't work!"

Kyle answered, "Sarah Connor from the past…I can't love her. I don't know who she is. I never knew her. Derek, you have to go. You're the only one who would have it in him to do this. I believe in you."

Sarah listened to the conversation with gloom. To hear Kyle say that he didn't love her hurt her so much. Sarah gulped, trying to ignore those feelings. She didn't have time to get emotional, especially when her son and the entire future of the resistance was in danger. Believe it or not, Kyle was right.

Sarah said, "Reese, Kyle's right. The Derek I once knew was damaged, but he always protected me and he always protected John. You died for us once and I know you're willing to do it again. You have to be there to make sure John becomes a man who's willing to fight, a man who never loses his will. You will train him to lead the resistance to victory."

Derek looked at Allison for assurance that none of this was necessary. Much to Derek's despair, none of the blood that splattered over her neck was enough to cover Allison's gentle smile. Allison's smile showed that she agreed with Sarah. Derek looked longingly at her. Her head was still flat on the ground, but her eyes were tilted towards his. He was dejected, because he knew he was losing the argument.

Kyle said, "You will see me and Allison again Derek. And when you do, Allison will be happy. And maybe even me and your younger self might end up getting a life that they deserve! It's the right thing to do. Derek, please, just go! If you don't, Skynet wins and all is lost. For the sake of our futures, you have to do this."

Derek finally left his own reverie. Delving into his own fear of losing Kyle and Allison forever was something he could no longer do. Instinctively, Derek reached forward and gave his brother a firm grasp on the shoulder. Then he reached down and gave Allison a kiss on her forehead.

He said to Allison and Kyle, "I won't fail you. I promise."

And then, without thinking anymore, he instinctively ran out like a soldier going out to battle. He had to find John and Cameron and do something he swore to himself he'd never do…go with them to the future.

* * *

 **(2009) Safehouse…located somewhere in the suburbs of Los Angeles, California**

A young and attentive Sarah Connor jumped off the couch and interrupted, "HOLD ON! WAIT JUST A MINUTE! Where did Skynet come from? How did they end up attacking Ziera base and overwhelming John Henry? What about Allison Young? How did she get back to base? How the hell did I get shot? Did I die or something?"

John tried to interrupt, "Mom."

Sarah Connor wouldn't let up, "…And did Kyle and Savannah get married? Were they ever really a thing? What exactly was my relationship with Derek anyway? And what happened with you and Cameron? And where the hell is Ellison?! I don't see Ellison here, or Martin Bedell either! A General in the Mexican army? Really?! Where was I stationed?"

John sat in front of his mother, on another couch opposite her. He seated himself in a very small and tense posture. He kept his hands clamped together, trying to figure out how to respond to the overwhelming array of questions his mother was throwing at him. It had been nearly a week since he located and returned to his mother Sarah Connor in 2009. Yet, John still had so much to catch up with in regards to his mother.

John said, "Mom, I thought you would've wanted me to skip all those parts. Besides, I don't know the answer to all those questions. Cameron might know though."

A very curious Sarah replied, "I want to know. I want to know right now! I don't care who tells me."

Scratching his head, John said, "Well uh…"

With perfect timing Cameron strode in, coming from the direction of the kitchen. She wore tight dark blue jeans and a small black top. She seemed intent on speaking with Sarah about something.

Cameron looked to Sarah and said, "I can finish the story from here."

John complained, "I was doing just fine, thank you very much. Don't need you steel my thunder."

Cameron said, while taking a seat next to John, "Thunder is a loud rumbling or a crashing noise that occurs as a result of an expansion of rapidly heated air. You can't steal thunder because it doesn't possess the material qualities that warrant a feasible way to personally possess it."

John groaned, "And there goes the thunder."

Cameron said to John, "John, talking about relationships make you uncomfortable. I'm not uncomfortable doing so. Sarah obviously feels very emotional in the fact that you met Kyle Reese. She wants that to be described in more detail whereas you are reluctant to speak of your biological father. Your mother also wishes to know more about her future self. It will be best that I finish the story as I have secretly spent time with Sarah while you did other things."

"Wait, you hung out with future mom too?! I thought…Why?! What did you have to do with mom?" John said.

Cameron answered back, "You spent too much time with Allison Young. So I spent more time with your mom."

Sarah quirked an eyebrow, "Really, you and Allison were a thing?"

John shook his head, "No we weren't! No, we weren't anything."

Cameron said, "She was much too in love with you. You liked her too. Your mother did everything she could to pair you and her together."

John said, "Woah, woah, not cool. What's that got to do with anything?! Let's not forget the only reason she was obsessed with me was to compete with you. She wasn't that into me. She was jealous and angry mainly because of you! So if you want to blame someone, just look in the mirror."

Cameron ignored John and answered, "You won't tell Sarah much about Allison because you are uncomfortable. I will tell the whole story with more context and added detail."

John worried that Cameron's penchant for detail would become a regrettable experience.

Despite his reluctance, John agreed, "Alright lady, go ahead. We've discussed our sides of the story anyhow. Let's see if you can tell it better than I can."

Sarah nodded to John and Cameron, "Fine. Fine. Tin miss, just keep the story going."

Cameron answered, "Let's go back to the fragments of the story John skipped over…to when Charles Fischer shot me. I will conclude my story when I tell you how we entered the time machine in 2027 and jumped back into 2009."

* * *

 **(2027) Ziera base…**

Cameron didn't need her HUD's information to know she was being violently pushed back by the bullet from Charles Fischer's gun. Thankfully, it hit her chest. She absorbed the impact easily. Without a minute to lose, she fired back, but by that time she did so, Charles Fischer had escaped behind the corner and through the food court's exit.

She knew which direction he'd gone, but Cameron was not sure whether she should follow for fear she'd run into a trap. Cameron had been monitoring his facial impressions and his vitals throughout their encounter. Fischer seemed entirely convinced something terrible was about to go down on this base. If that was true, she had to warn everyone immediately and worry about Fischer later. Impulsively, Cameron notified John Henry to be on the lookout for Charles Fischer while she warned her friends of a possible threat.

* * *

 **(2009) Connor safehouse**

Sarah nodded, "Alright Cameron, so this Fischer guy shot you. Big deal. What did you do? And what happened with Allison?"

Cameron answered, "When I reached intelligence headquarters to contact John and the rest of our friends, I overheard intelligence officers stating that Corporal William had left the base with a secret shipment and never returned when he said he would. When I found out which storage shipment had gone missing, I determined that the shipment he stole was deactivated T-600 no longer in service of the resistance. At the very same time, reports came in that Skynet attacked Allison's transport to prison. That was when I realized Allison wasn't in any real trouble, at least not yet, so I didn't have to be concerned with her safety. It was obvious to me that Corporal William used the T-600 to save her."

Sarah frowned, "How'd you know this Corporal William would save her?"

Cameron replied, "Allison and the Corporal are colleagues who've worked together in Intelligence HQ and have gone on several missions together. William was fond of Allison, so it did not surprise me to assume William wished to save her from imprisonment with the help of an easily programmable T-600."

Sarah nodded, "Okay, let's get back to the story. Tell me exactly how Allison got out to meet John."

Immediately, Cameron resumed to the story upon Sarah's request.

* * *

 **(2027) In the middle of nowhere…**

Allison laid there in the middle of nowhere, in the arms of a man who claimed to be her uncle.

She screamed, "It can't be! My family is Derek and Kyle. That's it. Everyone else died. Palmdale is destroyed."

Will replied, "Allison, not everyone you knew lived in Palmdale. I lived outside of Palmdale. But you…you were such a tiny little girl the last time I saw you before Skynet destroyed this world. I wouldn't expect you'd remember me though."

Allison shouted, "Prove it! Prove you're not manipulating me. Tell me something that I've never told anyone in my life!"

Will answered, "Your mother, my sister-in-law, loved you very much. Her middle name was Sabrina. I'm sure you might remember that. Oh, and she always struggled to feed you broccoli. You absolutely refused to eat broccoli. You liked carrots though."

Allison said, "Lies! I like broccoli!"

He laughed, "We tend to appreciate food more when we don't have a lot of it. Trust me, you hated broccoli."

"That…that can't be enough." She said, refusing to believe it as true.

Will pleaded, "Allison, I've proven myself to you. Really, you should trust me by now. We've been friends for a long time. You know I'm telling the truth."

Allison cried, "I don't know what to say! You've been holding this from me for a long time."

Will smiled, "I'm sorry Allison. But I saw how happy you were with Derek and Kyle Reese, so I was afraid to tell you. I thought you'd reject me. I didn't want to turn your life upside down. I hope you can forgive me. But right now, I don't have time to make a very long and drawn out apology. I'll need you to come with me. It's not safe here. Perhaps we can chat about this elsewhere."

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"We're going to visit the air force. I live there." He replied.

Allison answered, "What if I'm discovered? Surely people will start looking for me because LA's airforce base will be notified."

Will said, "Perhaps we will sneak around or maybe I can find something to cover your face. That's not important right now. I really want you to meet some people who are important to me…my family."

* * *

 **(2009) Connor safehouse…**

Sarah said, "Alright, so Will took Allison to his home at the air force's main base. Alright, I think I get the picture. So in the meantime, did you manage to contact John and everyone else about Charles Fischer?"

Cameron said, "Yes. I discovered their whereabouts and then contacted John, Bedell, Ellison, Savannah, Derek, Kyle and others. I gave them the information they needed to know about Fischer. Their reactions to this information either consisted of shock or plain denial. Nevertheless, they were quick learners. We knew we had to act fast because I recognized Charles Fischer before."

Sarah wondered, "So how did all the intelligence officers ignore Allison and the fact that she went missing? Wouldn't her disappearance have distracted them from Fischer?"

Cameron shook her head, "No, I threatened all of the intelligence officers to keep silent, or it could put Allison in danger. I forced them to focus on the task at hand. They appeared to be more frightened of me than Allison or Derek. I liked it."

"Did you tell Derek that Allison was missing?"

"For the sake of the mission, no. But I did tell him about Fischer."

Sarah said, "So what was Derek's reaction to the news that Fischer had gone rogue?"

Cameron said, "Fischer was never rogue. He was always a gray, or at least sympathetic to Skynet. Furthermore, I didn't expect Derek to react poorly to the news that Fischer was bad. It was actually Jason Cameron's reaction that I thought could be a challenge. I believed Derek would inevitably inform Jason Cameron of Fischer's betrayal."

"You mean the guy whose name you strangely took as your own." Sarah said.

"Yes, because I killed him." Cameron said.

Sarah squirmed uncomfortably, "That still doesn't make any sense to me, but okay. Please continue."

Cameron said, "Once Derek got hold of the information, he readily believed me. I think it was because Derek never really liked Charles Fischer and always was skeptical of his odd behavior. Derek Reese told me that he would take a friend with him to Weaver's base to speak with Jason Cameron about the matter."

Sarah replied, "So which friend did he take with him to see Jason Cameron?"

Cameron answered, "You."

"Ah, interesting." Sarah answered.

* * *

 **(2027)** **Jason's Office at Weaver's Base**

Derek wondered why he was so quick to believe Cameron. Once the metal told him that Fischer was up to no good, he dropped his work at Ziera base, cancelled his important meeting with General Perry, and completely erased any thoughts of Allison's whereabouts from his head just to pursue the matter. Maybe Derek simply disliked Fischer a lot that he'd be willing to do all that. Or perhaps the Lieutenant just needed a distraction to take his mind off Allison's unfortunate imprisonment.

Fortunately, General Perry promised Derek that he'd do everything in his power to get Allison out of imprisonment. Nevertheless, Derek questioned his trust in Perry. Would Perry really do that for Allison, considering the fact that Perry tried to arrest her at one point?

He decided not to think more of it. After all, he was busy. He just spent his entire afternoon making his way to Weaver's base

With a knock on the door, Derek turned the knob and entered. Keeping himself assertive and sharp, Derek delivered the news to Jason just like a soldier briefing a fellow officer. It would be an understatement to say Jason was disappointed by the news.

In the middle of their conversation, Jason growled, "Derek, this is crap! I've known Fischer for years! That machine is ly…"

Derek said, "…What? Lying? You don't think that thought never crossed my mind?! Of course, it has. But just because she's identical to Allison and her freaking brain is made of hyperalloy crap doesn't change my mind. The metal's right. Fischer's been a shady piece of shit since he got here."

Jason pleaded, "Listen to yourself Derek! Why are you siding with the machine? Why do you trust that thing?! This is Fischer we're talking about, a longtime friend and an actual human being. Don't you know what he did for me get out of the hell I was in?"

Derek moaned, "Aw, come on. You really gonna play that card?!"

"Why are you doing this? Really, why are you doing this?" Jason asked.

"Because the metal has absolutely nothing to gain in lying to me. Believe me, you know why I'm doing this." Derek responded.

"I can't let you do that. He's my friend. I don't care what you're accusing him of doing." Jason snarled.

Derek shot back, "And I can't risk losing my base either to a Skynet sympathizer. Help me Jason. Help me bring him in before things get worse. Once we get Fischer, we'll just talk about it. That's what we'll do with him."

Jason spat, "Oh, you know exactly what you're going to do to him. You're going to keep him in a dirty cold cell for months. You'll interrogate him and you'll use whatever morally ambiguous techniques are necessary to get him to confess whatever the hell you want him to confess."

Derek said, "Come on Jason, you know me. It's not like that at all. This is about the base's protection."

Jason shot back, "Protection my ass! You're not going anywhere. And you aren't taking Fischer's human rights either."

Jason took a sudden right hook to Derek's jaw. Derek's quick instincts barely swerved him out of the way to avoid a painful blow.

Derek, still in a daze, shouted, "Jason, what the hell?!"

Jason shouted in command, "You won't take him! Reese, I'm tired of you taking orders from bureaucratic trash! I'm tired of you letting yourself get manipulated by these machines! I'm tired of all of you killing each other for more power rather than saving this damn world from extinction! I'm tired of the corruption and the mistrust!"

After his rant, Jason charged Derek, knocking the Lieutenant into the ground hard. The strength Jason exerted literally flipped over his own desk as he came in one punch at a time to Derek's face. Derek tried desperately hard to protect himself from the continuous blows. He had to think fast, or God only knew what Jason would do to him. Since this was a private area, there were no machines or humans around to help him. He was on his own.

Blocking strike after strike, Derek saw the break he was looking for. Jason exerted too much energy in his rage. The adrenaline was fading and he was running out of breath. Derek saw this as an opportunity to strike back. He struck Jason in the nose, forcing Jason off him so that he stumbled backwards. While Jason held onto his aching bloodied nose, Derek got up quickly and threw a high kick to Jason's side. Jason deflected, but Derek kept pressing hard on him.

Jason picked up an empty brandy bottle on his desk, ready to bash it over Derek's head. Just before Jason could swing at him, Derek grabbed his hand, twisted his arm until Jason fell behind him. That's when Derek bent over and flipped Jason onto the ground and flat on his back. Once Jason slammed into the ground, he didn't move much after that. Derek crouched down, and after one final punch to the face, Jason gave out completely. Jason groaned slightly because he was still conscious, but he couldn't move. He honestly felt like a complete wreck.

Wiping the blood and the sweat off his face, he said, "Jason, you're a great soldier and deep down I think you're a good guy. But your obsession with the thrill has not just made you fearless, but arrogant. Fischer was a bad guy from the start. I wish you realized that. You're not as perceptive as you think you are. I'm going to stop Fischer whether you help me or not. I just hope that in time, you can see that clearly."

After brushing the dirt off his soldiers, Derek grabbed his jacket and left Jason's office. Derek covertly snuck out of Weaver's base, hoping that Jason's disappearance could go unnoticed long enough for him to make his escape. It was obvious that Derek's meeting with Jason regarding Fischer had not gone well. After all, he was unwilling to help him find Fischer. But at least he knew one thing for sure, Jason wasn't behind this. Yeah, Jason was a smart guy, but based on his reaction, Jason knew absolutely nothing about what Fischer was up to.

Once Derek made his way out of the deep cave that led into Weaver's base, he snatched up his radio and made a call to Intelligence HQ.

He said, "Anyone there?"

The female voice replied, "It's me."

"This better not be Allison." Derek said.

Cameron answered, "No, but I need the password."

"It's me."

"Is it?"

"Yeah, who the hell else would it be?" Derek retorted.

Cameron didn't answer.

Derek said, "For crying out loud! The password is goldfish! There."

Cameron demanded, "Talk."

Derek said, "Listen, Jason is a no go. Where's John now? What's he up to?"

Cameron answered, "He's just waking up. He will be with us shortly. It's late, he is normally asleep when it's late."

"Yeah, metal, I don't know if you're aware, but I'm a human being. I know that humans sleep too. Just…just don't let John do anything stupid. Because if he does, it's on you. Over."

Derek slipped his radio back onto his belt and proceeded to jump a gated fence. As soon has he landed in the dirt, he creeped through a field of mines. While these mines were devastating to T-888s, they were completely safe for humans. Neither Weaver's bots or Skynet's killer machines could pass through except humans like Derek. Eventually, Derek found his mode of transportation in front of him. It was his Jeep. Coming in closer, he found someone sitting in his Jeep waiting on his arrival.

Once Derek waved his hand, he caught that person's attention.

The woman in the Jeep said to Derek, "You should've let me come with you."

Derek shook his head, "No, you're knew. If Weaver's machines spotted you, they would've assessed your threat level and brought attention to you. I couldn't afford that. I had to go alone and talk quietly with Jason."

She asked, "Did things work out?"

Derek looked into Sarah Connor's eyes and shook his head solemnly.

Sarah responded, "Sorry, what did you do to him?"

"Nothing." He said nonchalantly.

"Did you kill him?" Sarah responded almost casually.

Derek's face showed a look of shock, "Excuse me?! What did you just say?"

"Did you kill him?" She repeated.

Derek answered, "No, why would you…how could you think I'd do something like that?"

Sarah apologized, "Sorry I…"

Derek realized, "This other me…he was a murderer?"

Sarah said, "Yeah, I think he was."

Derek replied, "Believe me, I'm not him. He's dead."

Sarah smiled, though Derek wasn't sure what the smile was for anyway. Was it about the fact that evil Derek was dead or that he was not a murderer himself? It surprised Derek to know just how bad he was. And yet despite how bad his other self was, Sarah still seemed fond of him. Not necessarily in the mushy way, but still.

Derek replied, "So what are your people doing?"

Sarah answered while starting the engines, "In response to Fischer's potential threat, I sent Ricardo to notify my best commanders to activate every unit in my army. Let's just say a large force is working 24/7 on the lookout for any suspicious activities near Ziera base. I don't want to sound selfish, but part of me hopes Fischer's threat against the base is real."

"Why?"

Sarah explained, "My men aren't from the United States. They don't take much pride in protecting an American base from Skynet when they should be focusing primarily on themselves. That's why I'm hoping this threat is real, so they'll be more motivated to fight and perhaps develop a stronger and more passionate morale."

Derek said, "Well, if this is for real, we might need all the help we can get. Let's just hope the others back at base are working just as hard to keep the base secure."

* * *

 **Savannah and Joan**

Savannah wasn't sure how to talk to Joan. Cameron had directly asked her upon Fischer's threat to talk to Joan and convince her to do something that was impossible. Savannah was asked to speak with Joan and convince her to communicate with her mother. It would take every ounce of Savannah's charm and persuasiveness to convince Joan to help out her father's murderer. Even Savannah herself wasn't sure that she was doing the right thing. The footage that Lesley provided was real. It reminded her of the harsh reality of machines. They killed. They murdered. Just like Cameron. And while John seemed blindly accepting of Cameron's brutal and murderous past, she was not.

Joan screamed, "Savannah, how insensitive can you possibly be? Don't you see Becky is devastated? She won't come out of her room! You've no idea how much we've been hurt by that cyborg."

Savannah said, "You know that's not the entire story. Your mother tried to kill Cameron too so let's no forget that. You don't know everything that's going on."

Joan responded, "Oh I know enough! I know that the cyborg you call Cameron killed my father and an older brother I never knew about!"

Savannah said, "I know what you feel."

Joan cried, "How can you possibly know how I feel?! How can you? My entire family was torn apart by the hands of one machine! I hate these machines. How dare you trust these machines when they've ruined so many lives? How could you possibly understand anything I'm going through?"

Savannah shot back with rage, "Because my parents were killed by machines too! And those machines are still around today and I have to work with them."

"What?" She whispered timidly.

The anger that had been boiling within Savannah finally showed itself to Joan. It was not something that Savannah liked to do. She hated losing her temper. Joan, on the other hand, was baffled by Savannah's response. What did Savannah mean that her parents were killed by machines too? For an orphan, Savannah was a very happy and likable person. It never occurred to anyone, especially Joan, that Savannah had such a miserable past.

Savannah explained, "Uncle James told me all about. A T-888 hijacked an airplane a long time ago, ultimately killing both of my parents. I don't know why, but I think Skynet did it because it thought my parents were a threat to its existence. Because of that they died."

"I'm…I'm sorry." Joan stammered.

Savannah nodded, "It doesn't matter anymore. You didn't know."

Joan said, "But that machine, John's machine…it killed half my family. How can I just sit back and work alongside it? I can't. I won't help that thing."

Savannah implored, "I'm not asking you to help the machine Joan. I'm asking you to help me. If this base is in danger, I need to know. Fischer is dangerous. If your mom knows anything about him, she needs to tell us. That's why I'm talking to you. If she'll speak to anyone, it'll be you."

"I…I'll see what I can do." Joan finally gave in.

Savannah breathed a sigh of relief, "Good. Thank you, Joan."

"And if that doesn't work out? What happens if we get no leads on this Fischer guy and we're helpless to stop him quietly?" Joan asked.

Savannah declared, "Then help me spread the word out that the base is in danger of Charles Fischer. If something bad is about to go down, and Skynet's involved, then we need to take all necessary precautions to keep this base safe."

Joan nodded, "Fine, I'll go speak with her."

Just as Joan turned to leave, Savannah said, "Joan, one more thing?"

"Yeah." She answered.

"Your father, I've done some research on him. Military records say a lot about him. There's a lot I think I can tell you about him. But to sum it up nicely, I can say he was a good man, just like your big brother." She said.

Joan smiled vaguely, "Thanks."

Throughout that conversation, Savannah contemplated for a moment. She realized that throughout her life, she never really had much of a father besides James Ellison. John also struggled too because he grew up without a dad throughout most of his life too. Even Allison, Derek, and Kyle were fatherless and motherless too. Savannah realized that tragedy is kind of what brought them all together. It was human connection, or family, that made them such a great team. Savannah smiled. She absolutely loved Kyle's soft eyes. Her witty interactions with Allison. And even her curious interactions with John Henry. For that one moment, Savannah realized that world wasn't as bad as it seemed.

* * *

 **John's Sleeping Quarters…**

Kyle opened the door that lead to the sleeping John Connor. John seemed completely zoned out as he had spent most of his time making out…er…having fun with Cameron. It was very helpful that he could experience a good night sleep, as the stress and the anxiety in the pit of John's stomach often bothered him. Unfortunately, all that needed sleep would be interrupted by the very man responsible for John Connor's existence.

Kyle gently grabbed John's shoulders and shook him, "John, wake up! Wake up."

With a deep yawn, the young man groaned, "Huh?"

John turned his head slightly, rubbing his eyes gently. He could make out that Kyle was standing over him.

Kyle said again, "Wake up! Get up! We have a problem on the base."

John was glad to see Kyle's face for some reason. His presence was always reassuring to him and in no way alarmed him the moment he woke up. It was far different though with Cameron and Sarah. Every time, they frightened him when he woke up, but with Kyle he felt just fine.

John rolled to his left and groaned, "What's wrong? Please don't tell me Allison escaped or something. We already have enough on our plates."

Kyle explained, "No, there's nothing wrong with Ally. It's Fischer. Something's happened to Cameron. Come with me."

* * *

 **Kyle, John, and Cameron**

Kyle had told John everything that he needed to know. It was alarming, but not completely overbearing to know about Fischer and his attempt at killing Cameron. John held on to the firm hope that Charles Fischer was just some crackpot shouting a bunch of empty threats. Perhaps they were all merely making a big deal out of nothing.

After the briefing from Kyle, John said, "Wait a minute? Cameron says she knows Fischer?"

"Not quite. She's seen him in your past." Kyle answered.

John suggested, "Sometime in 2008 or 2009 you mean?"

"Yeah, something like that." Kyle figured.

John wondered, "What else does Cameron know?"

Now that they had arrived at Intelligence HQ, Kyle replied, "You can ask her yourself."

Turning into the entrance, John saw Cameron standing stiffly by. John could tell that even though he wasn't so concerned,

"Cameron?"

In the normal icy robotic voice, she said, "John."

"What's...is that a bullet hole? Kyle didn't mention that he actually hit you." He said.

Looking at the hole in her chest, Cameron replied indifferently, "Yes, he did."

"You think it was just Fischer behind this?" John asked.

"As far as we know, yes. But we can never take chances." She said.

"And if my memory serves me correct, Fischer is supposed to be Jason Cameron's friend?" John said.

"Yeah. Derek is speaking with him right now." She confirmed.

John rubbed the back of his neck. It felt really sore. Blinking hard, he tried to wake his eyelids up and prevent them drooping. He needed to keep himself alert. He battled within his mind whether to dismiss Fischer as a threat in his mind or assume the worst.

John said, "Why would he shoot you? What's he really playing at? Do you think he's an actual gray or just completely lost it mentally?"

Cameron suddenly admitted, "He knows me. He knows Derek too. He may or may not suffer mentally, but his acuity is undeniable. He hates Derek Reese and wishes ill on him and his base. It is likely he is a gray and completely sympathetic to Skynet's cause."

"Yeah, obviously. But why's he so important to you? How is he aware of you and your significance?" John wondered.

"Derek must have killed him in the past." She said mysteriously.

John frowned in frustration, "You're not making any sense. Are you saying…he's supposed to be dead?"

Cameron explained, "Another future version of Charles Fischer may have gone to the past. Old Derek probably killed him with the assumption he was a gray."

Kyle interrupted, "Please explain, because I've got no idea what you're talking about."

Cameron explained, "In the past, in 2008, the other Derek Reese that we knew sent me a recent picture of Charles Fischer. I saw him on my cellphone. Derek asked me about his identity, but I told him I didn't know who he was."

"Were you telling the truth?" John asked.

Cameron knew John was questioning her honesty, but she knew John wasn't asking in an angry or suspicious tone. It was an honest question.

"Yes." She affirmed.

Kyle asked, "A little more elaboration might help if you don't mind me asking for it."

Cameron added, "Future Charles Fischer from post-Judgment day went back to pre-judgment day era. This means there had to be two versions of Charles Fischer in the past, an old one from the past and a young one from the present. If our Derek killed the older version of Fischer in 2008, he must have allowed the younger version of him to live. While your Derek can't remember him, Fischer still knows him and might have a personal vendetta against him. He may have joined Skynet to conduct his own revenge or possibly prevent himself from getting murdered in the future."

Kyle added, "So Fischer knows about Derek and time travel does he? Well, he held a grudge that long for what Derek did to his future self? Sheesh. That's really complicated."

John figured, "Well, we can't take chances, especially considering he shot you. We have to everything we can to stop him! Are you okay by the way?"

"I'm fine." She said, assessing her own functionality once again to ensure all systems operated at its fullest capacity.

"Who have you informed regarding Fischer by the way?" Kyle asked.

"Everyone." She answered.

"So does Derek know about Fischer?" Kyle inquired further.

"He knows that Fischer hates him. But he doesn't know about what the other Derek did. I don't think it would be helpful for him to know."

Kyle argued, "Wait? You're trying to hide this from my brother? You know I have to tell him."

Cameron said, "I understand."

Kyle frowned, "How can you understand? You're holding something from him that he deserves to know."

Cameron replied, "Yes, he does deserve to know. But he also deserves a level head. If we confuse him with what an alternate version of him did, he will blame himself for it. You may tell him later on, but I strongly suggest you withhold this information from him until he is ready to hear it."

Kyle said, "Since when did I take orders from the likes of you?"

Cameron responded, "Since the day Derek brought Allison home."

John couldn't help but smile at Cameron's clever reply.

* * *

 **John Henry and Bedell in Ziera Basement…**

Once Cameron had alerted him that Charles Fischer was on the loose, Bedell knew he had to do something about it. Clearly, Bedell knew that John Henry would have sent his machines after Fischer, but Bedell needed to contribute in some other way. He decided he'd press John Henry for any possible information he might have on him in hopes of figuring out who Fischer was and what he might be up to.

"Seriously John Henry, you have no idea who Charles Fischer is?" Bedell said, rubbing his chin.

John Henry shook his head, "No."

Bedell pushed further, "Okay, great. You've got nothing in your data files that can account for his identity. And, um, you have no idea if anything bad is about to happen? Nothing? There's nothing?"

John Henry replied, "No, the base is secure and Skynet has not tested our defense systems since the drone attack a 21 days ago."

"Okay then. Uh, you see Ellison around here lately? Perhaps he has a fresh perspective that I can use."

"He is trying to contact Ms. Weaver." John Henry informed him.

Bedell's eyes widened, "Really, do you know what exactly he wants to talk to her about?"

"I believe he is speaking with her about Skynet's plans as well as Charles Fischer."

"Oh, any luck?" He wondered.

John Henry shrugged, "I am not aware of any."

Bedell thought to himself, "Perhaps John's cyborg isn't willing to tell us all the details. She's hiding something from us."

John Henry asked, "Shall I ask Ms. Phillips to come in? Perhaps she can clarify a few things."

Strategically, Bedell decided, "No, it's fine. Don't mention this to anyone, okay?"

"Okay."

With a quick nod, Bedell turned away from John Henry. While John Henry sat on his wooden stool and contemplated the new developments of the base, Bedell decided he would wait until Ellison returned from Weaver's base before he decided to confront the female terminator named Cameron Phillips.

* * *

 **Ellison and Savannah at Weaver's secret base…**

Savannah looked around, watching the people walk by each other at Weaver's base. Savannah noticed that everyone paced themselves in a very even manner. They even walked to the far right of the pavement, never weaving in and out of traffic. They were, in fact, very uniform and well organized. The facilities were all very large and advanced and advanced in technology. Perhaps one of the most significant aspects that Savannah noticed was that there were many more machines that ran the base in comparison to Derek's Ziera base.

Savannah complained, "Uncle James, why are we here? This base is cool and all, but I've got my own to take care of."

"Trust me, I'll need your help for this one." Ellison said.

Savannah folded her arms, "Really, what are we here for? You've been leaving me in suspense all morning."

Ellison admitted, "To talk to Weaver."

Savannah shook her head, "No! No! I should've known, I swear I'll…why would you do that to me?!"

"She has a soft spot for you Savannah." He pointed ut.

Savannah laughed, "No she doesn't. She's a machine."

"Believe it or not, Weaver has tried to take care of you after your biological mother died. She was in no way perfect, but she kept you safe."

"That's screwed up. It's completely screwed up. What she did was wrong." Savannah declared.

Ellison wondered, "Why can't you forgive her?"

"I did forgive her."

Ellison added, "But you still hold it against her. Why are you being so hypocritical?"

Savannah replied, "Me hypocritical? Oh pull-ease."

Ellison answered, "Well, you seem perfectly aware how many innocent people John's cyborg has killed and yet you're friendly with her. All Weaver did to you was pretend to be your mother. She didn't kill your parents. She didn't hurt you. All she did to you was impersonate your mother and protect you from threats from Skynet. She could've easily killed you and no one would've been the wiser. But she didn't. Give her some credit and just work with me to get some information out of her."

Savannah gave in, "Fine. Fine. I'll help. But what do you expect to get from her anyway?"

Ellison said, "Answers. With her help, maybe we can stop Fischer before it's too late."

Savannah questioned, "So we just sit here and wait for her?"

Ellison smiled, "Yeah, something like that."

Taking a seat onto small stairway leading to the mess hall, Ellison patted the platform beside him, inviting Savannah to join him. The two decided to sit there and wait for Weaver. According to John Henry, Weaver instructed them to stay there until she appeared. Unfortunately for Savannah and Ellison, it appeared she was running late.

 **10 minutes later…**

Savannah murmured, "How long has it been?"

"Not long enough Savannah." Ellison replied.

Savannah argued, "I can't do this anymore."

"Can't or won't?"

She rolled her eyes in response, "I dunno. Both, I guess."

The sound of high heels sharply clicking against the ground caught Savannah's attention. From behind their backs, Weaver appeared. With a tall and even posture, her cold eyes beamed sharply against Savannah. Savannah tried to look away, trying to avoid eye contact but failing miserably.

Weaver observed, "It appears you two have been waiting for me."

"Yeah." She said.

Ellison looked to Savannah and said, "Go ahead, ask her."

Savannah glared at Ellison, upset that Ellison forced her to talk to Weaver. Nevertheless, he persisted that she speak with her.

Savannah turned to Weaver and said rather grudgingly, "Um…uh, Cameron was shot today."

With very little significance to her, Weaver nodded, "I see."

"His name was Charles Fischer." She clarified.

Weaver suggested, "And you would like to know if I've encountered him before?"

"Yes." Savannah agreed.

Weaver answered, "No, I don't recall him."

Ellison added, "Well, he's threatened the base. We think he might be a gray. He's hiding somewhere, but the machines are still looking for him."

Weaver answered, "There might be more to the story."

Savannah frowned, "How so?"

Weaver replied, "It's not important."

Savannah pressed her harder, "Please tell me. We really need to know everything."

After a brief pause, Weaver gave in, "There is a slight possibility that Skynet is intending to commandeer control of Lieutenant Reese's base in retaliation for a few things I may have said to Skynet."

"You spoke with Skynet?" Ellison repeated.

"Of sorts." She answered.

Savannah wondered, "How?!"

Weaver replied, "Ever since John Henry was attacked by a rogue T-888 directly controlled by Skynet, I have been keeping a close eye on him. Since then, Skynet has received encrypted messages to John Henry trying to sway him away from my control."

Savannah said, "And you never bothered to tell us that Skynet was trying to manipulate John Henry?"

Weaver said, "If I told you, then you would've either cut John Henry off communication or possibly overwhelmed him with your own propaganda. John Henry is his own unique person. I will allow him to communicate with Skynet upon my supervision."

Ellison said, "What things did you tell Skynet exactly during this conversation as you call it?"

Weaver said, "To put it simply, I did the equivalent of insulting Skynet."

"You insulted Skynet? Are you saying Skynet's attacking us because it's angry?" Savannah said.

Weaver said, "Perhaps. I needed to test Skynet's strength and resolve. It was the only away to assess its true power."

Savannah screamed, "You mean at the cost of human lives? You bitch!"

Ellison caught Savannah's shoulder and pulled her back, "Watch it Savannah."

Savannah said, "We have to go back and warn John Henry. I'm disgusted that you didn't even bother to warn us."

Weaver said, "Why should I? You should always be ready for an oncoming attack. If I needed to warn you in any capacity to prepare for a battle, then you are clearly not ready to face Skynet."

Savannah screamed, "That's it! Uncle James, I'm getting out of here with or without you. I can't speak to her anymore."

Ellison stood there as Savannah stormed away.

Weaver tilted her head and wondered, "Was I too harsh?"

Ellison stared at Weaver and grimaced, "Yes, a wee bit."

Weaver asked, "Are you not disappointed in me Mr. Ellison?"

Ellison said, "No. If you don't have expectations, you can't be disappointed. Am I right?"

"Right." She acknowledged.

Ellison said, "I really hope you change. Maybe get a little more heart."

"You really think I can change? You think that it is possible to respect human traditions and values?" Weaver asked.

Ellison laughed, "Look at where we are now! Time travel exists and so do terminators. John Henry is slowly evolving into more of a human being than the powerful artificial intelligence that will one day defeat Skynet. So of course anything is possible! But…thanks for letting us know what's going on. I have to find Savannah, and then tell the rest of the team what's really going on here."

Weaver said, "Good luck Mr. Ellison."

Ellison smiled, "Thank you."

"Oh, and one more thing Mr. Ellison."

"Yes?"

"This Fischer character you've mentioned, I will look into him for you."

With that, Ellison nodded, and then left in search of a very unhappy Savannah.

* * *

 **Watchtower**

Jim had nearly had it. Straining his eye out the glass window, he desperately hoped something or someone could drown out the ramble of his gossiping buddies. They continued to talk to about Becky like she was a complete nutcase. Jim didn't like it, but didn't know how to make a witty comeback or at least kill the very bad conversation.

"Jim, you really think your girlfriend isn't insane?" His friend laughed.

Jim angrily shot back, "Shut up. Becky's been hiding from me ever since Lieutenant Reese's friends brought her back. But she's never been the same since then."

Jim's best friend, Nate, cut in, "Sorry man, I don't know what to tell you. Reese assured us she came back unharmed. Becky should be fine"

Another one of Jim's friend asked, "You sure she isn't on her period?"

Jim blew up in rage, "Shut up! It's not about her! She saw something and she won't talk to me about it. This is my relationship at stake here so you'll understand why I'm a little annoyed with all you guys!"

Nate wondered, "Did you talk to her sister Joan?"

Jim gritted his teeth in frustration, "No! She's behaving exactly the same way. She's silent and hiding away from me."

"Cheer up. This won't last forever." Nate said.

"What? Our relationship or her grieving?" Jim said.

Nate answered, "It's got to be her mother. General Lesley is in prison you know. Perhaps that's what's got them in hole right now. Just relax, everything will be okay."

Jim smirked, "Huh, perhaps the worst is behind us."

All of the sudden, one of the soldiers standing beside Nate growled, "Oh shit!"

Nate screamed, "What the hell?"

Looking through the panes, Jim spotted what he knew to be two Skynet HKs heading towards the base at lightning speed. The loud rumbling of their powerful menacing engines and the massive barrels of its plasma cannons only instilled the paralyzing fear that shot through his veins.

One Private picked up the bright red emergency telephone and shouted, "Red alert! This is an emergency! We see two bogeys coming in from the Northeast. I repeat, two bogeys coming in from the Northeast!"

* * *

 **Intelligence HQ**

"Crap! I see them watchtower."

Picking up the bright red telephone, intelligence officer Chris Fowler notified the highest-ranking officials on base. With Derek and Perry outside of Ziera base, Bedell was the highest chain in command to get the message of oncoming attacks from Skynet's aerial HKs alongside the approaching tanks.

Alarms sounded, forcing all inhabitants to leave their activities and return to their bunkers. That's when they knew the worst was yet to come.

Bedell stormed into Intelligence HQ.

"God help us all." Fowler said in meeting Bedell.

Bedell demanded an explanation, "What's wrong? What's going on?! Why are the alarms sounding?"

Fowler said, "The machines. They're finally coming. This threat from Charles Fischer appears to be true after all Captain!"

* * *

 **Ziera base…**

John Henry heard the alarms the moment they sounded. With a little eavesdropping on telecommunications, he instantly activated the unmanned guns as well as his semi-active T-888s to fullest capacity. The base was under attack, and with no one available to give him orders, he had to fight back. Immediately, John Henry double-checked his software for any unknown or encrypted files of malicious intent. He had to keep guard in case Skynet performed a cyberattack on him.

That's when one man walked into the room in a resistance uniform. John Henry couldn't identify who he was, but all he knew for sure was that he wasn't allowed to be there.

John Henry said, "Hello, you are in a restricted zone. Please leave immediately."

The unknown soldier replied, "I never thought you were real. Skynet was right."

John Henry merely stared upon the mysterious character with confusion.

"Who are you?" Asked the artificial intelligence.

The mysterious man suddenly darted away. John Henry would've followed, but neither Weaver or Cameron would be happy if he did that. He figured it was just a soldier who had brought himself into Ziera basement by accident. John Henry couldn't understand something though. How could he break an advanced security system without having several years of experience as an IT expert and professional hacker? It was certainly a mystery, but it wasn't enough for John Henry to show any concern.

* * *

 **John and Cameron in Intelligence HQ…**

John had worked alongside a designated number of men and women tasked with the job of locking up and supplying all food and goods into secure cold rooms and storages. Cameron had asked him to do it so that he didn't feel left out. John knew how to do a lot of things. He could hide in plain sight. He could strip a gun and put it back together in one minute. If we wanted to, he could spar with anyone and win. But despite all his abilities, there was nothing much he could do in terms of finding and stopping Charles Fischer. That was why Cameron gave him a simple job to do.

There was, however, an ulterior motive that Cameron had in her CPU mind. As Cameron supervised John's work, she briefly considered that reason. She knew that in keeping John away from the fighting and action, she could keep him safe. Not just physically, but mentally. She remembered the toll that killing took on John's mental health. That was why Cameron always ensured that she did all the killing for him. Yeah, she could get flak for it, but she knew that John's safety was more important than the human criticism of her morally questionable decisions that humans themselves struggled to understand.

Just then, Cameron considered how far she'd go to protect John. It was against her programming to kill other innocent human beings, but she could easily override that of her own free will. She could easily kill all John's friends and family if it meant keeping him alive. But then she wondered. At what cost? If she ended up doing so, would John ever be the same? Would John ever forgive her? Perhaps not. Cameron wondered if there was some kind of a middle ground between protecting John's life and John's soul.

Just when she thought she could stress the thoughts no longer, her audio sensors alerted her to the sound of someone's voice.

John said, "You glitching up or something? Your tongue glued down or something?"

Cameron frowned, "No, I was thinking."

John laughed, "There's a first."

All of the sudden, the sound screaming sound of an aerial attack forced a number of workers to dive to the ground, covering their heads. The sound of an explosion from afar off indicated that aircraft strikes were destroying the base.

John shouted, "Oh no! What's going on?"

Cameron said, "It appears we're too late. They're here."

"Who?"

Cameron said, "Skynet."

Cameron snatched John and threw him behind one of the barracks and away from plain sight.

John spoke first, "Does Weaver know everything about what's going on? About Fischer?"

Cameron answered, "I don't know where she is. John Henry said he would notify her when she became available. I don't know what her mission is or whether she will be here to help us. I expect, however, that Derek will return with your mother soon."

John replied, "I'm sorry Cameron, I know how much the resistance means to you."

Cameron said, "John Connor is more important."

John smiled. Despite the looming fate of the base completely up in the air, John couldn't take his eyes off Cameron.

John said, "Every time I look at you, I have trouble finding words to tell you how much you mean to me."

"You don't have to, I already know. There's something I need to tell you too." She said.

John asked, "What is it?"

Cameron started, "If we lose…"

Jon shook his head, "No Cameron, we're not going there."

Cameron continued, "We have to. If Skynet is sending tanks and aircraft, it means that terminators are coming too. That's more than we can handle right now. So if we lose, we have to go back. We can't stay here. Skynet could kill you. It doesn't matter whether I go with you. But going back in time is important."

John answered, "Skynet doesn't even know who I am! They can't possibly. I don't have that much to worry about."

Cameron argued, "But I do."

John frowned, "You're…you're actually worried about me?"

Cameron said, "Someone has to be."

Cameron wasn't implying that everyone else didn't worry about John, it was simply that Cameron knew the fullest extent of the danger surrounding Skynet and that no one was more responsible for protecting John than she was. After all, it was her leaving that caused John to thoughtlessly jump into 2027 just to find her and bring her back.

John reached and cupped Cameron's cheeks into his own hands. John struggled to know which was more important Cameron. Was it him or was it the resistance? For John, it seemed like both were intertwined in Cameron's case. It was as if whatever was good for John was good for the resistance and whatever was good for the resistance was good for John. But now John knew which was more important. Cameron would rather abandon the resistance than see John get hurt. John knew Cameron wouldn't admit it because she struggled to understand it herself…but she loved John. At least John believed it to be true.

Still holding his hands through her ruffled hair, John said, "Cameron, how do you feel right now?"

He was lost in his reverie. That was always something he did when he stared at Cameron too long.

"Like your hands are squeezing my head." She honestly responded.

Her response threw John off just a little. The noise of frantic men and women shouting about suddenly returned to his ears. He suddenly hesitated to kiss Cameron upon this distraction. He just stood there, noses inches apart, simply waiting.

Cameron said, "John we don't have much time."

"Time for what?" John said in a little bit of confusion.

Suddenly, Cameron knocked John's hands off her head. She dived in and planted a kiss on John's lips. While John was still a little baffled by the sudden kiss, Cameron dragged John towards one of the resistance armories. Kicking open the door, she found a wide and diverse array of weaponry that filled the shelves. Cameron paced to her left with John barely keeping up the pace without stumbling.

Cameron grabbed a large plasma gun. It wasn't an ordinary kind.

Cameron said to John, "This is a reengineered design of the M-27 developed by tech experts in the resistance. They like to call it a custom M-28 that is capable of piercing a T-888's heavy-duty breastplate within a range of 25 meters. This powerful prototype isn't ready for mass production. I stopped its production before anyone found out about it. I hid its progress from you, Allison, and Derek."

John displayed a look of shock, "Why? Do you know how many lives this gun could save? Think of the machines it could kill! This could improve the morale of the resistance if they had a weapon like this! Were you not thinking straight?!"

"I was." She confirmed.

John questioned, "Then why did you do it? Wait…you stopped this gun's development from reaching the resistance because you were afraid of it weren't you? You were afraid someone would kill you with this gun."

"I don't want to die. It's dangerous." She admitted.

John added, "You're afraid. You're afraid of death."

"Is that bad?" She said.

John shook his head, "No, its's part of what makes us human."

"I'm a cyborg, not a human." She said.

"As far as I know, you're more human than some people I've met." John smiled.

For a second, they embraced that moment they had together.

Then Cameron said, "Defend the base. Perry will come shortly to help out. But now I must go."

"Go where?" He queried.

"I need to get Allison back, she's in trouble."

"Wait, what's going on with Allison?" He frowned.

Cameron said, while rushing away, "She might be in danger. Please stay here. Hide in the barracks until I get back."

"Cameron, I don't want you to leave me again. I can't do this." He pleaded.

Cameron assured him, "I'm not leaving. You can do this. Stay hidden and don't die. I'll be back soon."

As Cameron loaded her gun and stormed off, John murmured to himself, "Don't have to tell me that twice."

* * *

 **Allison and William**

Unfortunately, LA Airforce was not yet made aware that Derek Reese's base was under attack. General Perry feared that if their closest air force went running in support of Derek's base, they could open themselves to an inevitable attack from a very sneaky Skynet. That is why William and Allison were none the wiser that Ziera base's fate was hanging in the balance.

Hiding inside a parked transport vehicle, William and Allison peaked out the window having finally arrived in LA Airforce.

Seeing no one was in sight, Will commanded, "Come on quickly Allison. Get out onto the parking lot. Just make sure you keep as quiet as possible."

"Where are we going?" She asked.

Will didn't answer. He just paced faster into a corridor of what appeared to be civilian living facilities. After a few suspicious turns from one hall to another, they found a small white door on a small square brick building. It seemed like a home, but not an ordinary one that Allison had seen before. Allison thought it was kind of cute to have such a small humble home.

Will smiled, "Good, we're here."

After tapping a few buttons onto his advanced security system, Will grabbed hold of the door handle and pushed it open.

Peaking his head through the door, he said, "Jenny? You here?"

"I'm in the bedroom." She said.

On her way in, Allison heard the cocking sound of a gun coming from the bedroom. That's when she realized that this "Jenny" was keeping guard of Will's house. Allison had not seen Jenny yet, but Allison realized she'd probably get along with Jenny just fine.

Will motioned Allison to come into the house's small living room.

He said, "There's someone else I'd like you to meet Ally."

"Oh really?" Allison replied.

Bouncing her child up and down, the woman named Jenny carefully walked out of the bedroom door with a smile on her face. Allison looked upwards with an excited look on her face. Allison wasn't sure where to look first. Was it the woman named Jenny, or the tiny gurgling baby?

Allison awkwardly said to Jenny, "Hi, I'm…uh, Allison."

"Oh my, it's…you're the one…" Jenny said, slightly startled by her encounter with Allison.

William Young cut in, "Yeah, she's the one we talked about."

Jenny said, "Oh, well, Allison. I'm sure you already know this, but I'm Will's wife. This here is our beautiful daughter Maggie."

On that notion, Allison switched focus. She looked longingly at the little girl. She was so cute. She had chubby cheeks and she had a bright and naive smile on her face. Allison smiled warmly towards the little baby that paid little attention to her in turn.

Allison instinctively reached her arms out and said to Will's wife, "May I?"

Jenny replied, "Oh, of course."

Jenny leaned towards Allison, gently handing Maggie to Allison. Holding her securely with both hands, Allison proceeded to poke around and examine their home. To Allison, it seemed like a normal home. They didn't appear to have anything to hide. Their house was literally that small.

Allison said, "This is a nice place you have here."

"Thank you." Jenny said, deciding not to elaborate further about their home.

All of the sudden, Maggie threw herself forward frightening Allison for a second. Allison hardly ever held children. In Allison's mind, she wondered if Maggie lacked a will to live. Of course Allison realized that Maggie wasn't losing her will to live, she was just stupid. Maggie tried as hard as possible to get out of Allison's hands, forcing Allison to hold on a little tighter.

Allison commented, "Wow, she's a squirmer. Maggie, I mean."

Will answered, "Yeah, a lot like you when you were a baby. You have to hold her firmly. She squirms, but for the most part she gets along with everyone."

Allison said, "You really remember me don't you?"

Will smiled, "Of course I do."

Jenny added, "Allison, you have no idea how much it means to us to finally meet you. You see, I still have my mom and dad around. They somehow survived judgment day. But William, he thought he lost everyone after Skynet damaged this world. Even after we got married, Will still spent half of his time searching for any shred of family relations. He knew most of his family died, but he always had hope. He held on to the firm hope that there was somebody out there that was a part of his family, and then he found you. Thank God you remembered your actual name Allison or else Will would've never found you."

Allison was very happy to have learned that William was her uncle. But in talking about parents, Allison could only ever do one thing. Cry. That's all she could do. She just couldn't stop wondering what it would've been like if she had parents. But that was something she could hardly remember. In hopes of finding a distracting, Allison was determined to avoid speaking of her past.

Changing the subject, Allison asked, "What's the baby's name again? You said, Maggie?"

Actually, Allison remembered her name. She really just needed something to distract her from thinking things that bothered her.

"Maggie." Jenny answered.

Allison replied, "I like that name. It's a really cute name. What does it mean?"

Will said, "I think it means "pearl". It's to remind Maggie how special and valuable she is to us."

Allison nodded, "That's cool."

Hearing Will say that didn't help Allison focus. She kept thinking about her parents.

Will said, "Allison, listen. There's something we wanted to ask you."

Allison seemed unconcerned despite Will's serious tone. She found herself having a bit of fun bouncing around little Maggie while she the little girl tried desperately to jump out of Allison's arms.

Will put it bluntly, "Will you stay with us Allison? I know the government's on your back because I got you out of there, but I couldn't let them get you. People who've been accused of treason in the resistance, they're never the same after the resistance is through with them. The funny thing is that the easy thing the resistance can do is kill you in comparison to what they do to potential traitors. Allison, the truth is, they never physically harm you if you're a gray. But the government will hurt you mentally. The psychological techniques they implement are brutal, but effective. It's a strategy that Skynet used against us. And now we ourselves have implemented that policy too. I'm sorry Allison, but I couldn't let them do it to you."

Allison said, "So let me get this straight. You want me to move in with you?"

Jenny spoke on behalf of her husband, "Of course we do."

Allison sighed, "It's…it's okay. I guess I can think about it."

Allison couldn't quite grasp the full extent of what Will was saying. Should she leave Derek and Kyle in favor of real flesh and blood family? A big divide began to form inside her heart and she didn't know what to do with it.

A small knock on the door drew William's attention.

Jenny said, "You expecting someone William?"

Will shook his head, "No, I don't think so."

Drawing his gun, he gently opened the door. The door suddenly slammed open by a powerful force. And then then low and behold, a dark shadowy figure emerged. Was it a machine? Was it a spy who had been eavesdropping on their conversation their whole time?

All those things were probably true considering that the thing that forced itself through the door was named Cameron. Jenny drew her gun, waiting for Cameron to make one false move. Allison merely pulled Maggie away from Cameron's sight, doing her best to ignore the identical machine.

Jenny screamed, "It's real! That thing is real?! The terminator."

Will quickly stepped in the middle of the room, preventing his wife from shooting at Cameron. At the same time, Will stood where he was to block the terminator's entryway into his residence.

Cameron said to Will, "I've come for Allison Corporal."

"You can't have her." Will growled.

Allison sighed, "Oh, just let her in, it's not like you're much of an obstacle to her anyway."

Reluctantly, Will let her through upon Allison's request.

Approaching Allison and little Maggie, Cameron said, "You need to come with me."

Jenny looked for a nod from her husband to shoot Cameron, but Will shook his head disallowing her from harming the female terminator. Meanwhile, Allison chose not to move. Rather she sat down on the sofa to give Maggie a little more space to move about.

"How did you find me? Does John know you're here?" Allison asked, while playing around with the baby in her arms.

Cameron said, "I knew Corporal William had stolen one of the base's retired T-600 machines to save you. I figured that the Corporal was hoping to frame Skynet for your disappearance. When I caught on to the plan, I determined that the only place Corporal William could take you that could be safe enough was his home. After interviewing a female coworker at Intelligence HQ, I learned the location of Corporal William's living quarters within LA Airforce."

William smiled, but didn't say anything. William new exactly who it was. It was Stacy. William knew that girl couldn't keep her mouth shut if her life depended on it.

Cameron added, "And no, John doesn't know I'm here."

Allison argued, "Cameron, you can't take me back there. The government is going to do some nasty things to me."

Cameron said, "I know. I convinced Perry to let you go."

Allison said, "Perry doesn't have the authority to dismiss me of a federal crime. It's treason remember?"

Cameron said, "No, but according to article 2 section 2 of the constitution, the President can."

"The President let me go?" Allison queried.

William and Jennifer looked in awe at their conversation. While the couple new that Cameron was a friendly machine, they realized something that seemed impossible. Allison was reasoning with Cameron. How was that possible? How could a machine come to with a mission to capture you, only for Allison to convince it not to? That's not how machines work. They take orders and then they seek to fulfill them at any cost. This conversation was very different and entirely unique to them.

Meanwhile, Cameron said to Allison, "Perry has a loyal following. The base's increasing food resources and manpower have slowly turned Perry's leadership into a favorable aspect of President Howell's administration. More specifically, Perry's close connections with the Vice-President have ultimately led to your pardon through our current President."

Allison tilted her head in doubt, "An actual pardon? Why would General Perry do that for me? He doesn't even like me. What did you give him in return?"

Meanwhile, Maggie began to act out again, throwing her head back and forth in the hopes of getting loose from the intelligence officer. Allison instinctively tightened her grasp on the baby.

"Information. Information about Skynet." She said.

Allison smirked, "Well, it's good to know my own life is about as worth as much as a little information about Skynet."

Cameron said, "We don't have time to discuss this, we have to go home."

"I'm not going anywhere. I'm happy where I am." Allison refused.

Cameron implored, "John needs your help."

"Tell John to go fly a kite. He choked me unconscious." She shot back.

Cameron pointed out the obvious, "You're upset."

Allison snarled sarcastically, "No, what made you think I was upset?"

Cameron frowned, "What John did to you he did with a heavy heart. He had to protect me and the base. If it was up to me, I would have submitted to deactivation, but John has other plans. He wants to protect the base too and he needs your help to do it."

"I'm not helping him. Not anymore. You've manipulated John far enough and I'm sick and tired of standing by while you do it. I still hate you and I hate John. I hate that he cares for you more than me."

"You know that's not true. You don't hate John and you don't hate me. What you do hate is that you love him and he won't return that love the way you want him to. You are jealous."

Allison shouted, "Screw you. You better get out of here before you scare the baby."

Of course, the baby was none the wiser. While dogs seemed to dislike Cameron, babies were typically delighted around Cameron's glowing eyes and super-duper strength.

Cameron added, "It's not just about me and John. Charles Fischer is threatening the base. The base is on lockdown and we fear a potential on-ground invasion now that HKs have entered resistance controlled airspace and attacked Ziera base. We need your help. Derek and Kyle need your help."

Allison seemed hesitant. She knew she couldn't leave Derek and Kyle alone. She had to help. Will took notice of her obvious concern.

Will interjected, "Allison, if you're going, I'm going too."

Jenny said, "I should go too."

William said, "No, you can't Jenny. I can't handle you being in so much danger. Take care of Maggie, keep her safe. She's far more important to both of us than Derek Reese's base."

Jenny nodded, "Fine, I'll stay. Just come back home to me."

"I will." He said.

Allison raised her hand shouting once more, "No! I'm not going anywhere. No one is going back! Get a hold of yourselves."

Cameron interrupted, "Please. John honestly didn't send me here. I'm telling you the truth."

"What do you mean John didn't send you here? You wouldn't be here otherwise."

Cameron admitted, "He has no idea you escaped. I kept it a secret. All he knows is that you're in trouble."

"Why would you do that?" She wondered.

Cameron said, "I kept that a secret to keep you safe from Skynet. But I feel alone."

"Alone. Don't you spend enough time cuddling up with John?"

"I don't mean it that way. I have few friends." She said.

"You do realize I tried to kill you, right? I don't have the qualities of friendship that you're looking for."

"Nobody's perfect." She said.

"So you really want me to come back? Not John?"

"Please. I need you. We all need you." Cameron pleaded.

Allison couldn't understand why Cameron would go through all of this to save her from the government and bring her back to Ziera base despite everything she did to hurt her. She couldn't understand her one bit. She felt guilty that the same machine she tried to destroy was begging her to return. Could it be true that Cameron cared for her? That would be an interesting idea, but a scary thought too.

Allison reluctantly nodded, "Okay, let's go. Jenny, take little Maggie back. I think she's slobbering up on my jacket."

Jenny said, "Oh, sorry about that. Either your jacket tastes really good, or she's teething."

Will added, "No time to lose. Come on, let's go."

* * *

 **Arriving at the base…**

Cameron had reached the base on foot. Who knew she could run so fast. On the outside, it started to rain slightly. Cameron let her hand out to feel the cool misty rain wet her small hand.

Allison said, "I hate the rain. Water too. I hate being in water."

Cameron said, "Me too."

"Does it shorten your electrical circuits or something?" She joked.

Cameron shook her head and replied, "No, I can't swim. My body is not built to float."

While waiting on Will to start the engine and bring the vehicle in, Allison spotted a little kid running about towards them. Allison quickly pulled Cameron around and into a near corner to avoid facing the oncoming passerby. Cameron stared at Allison in confusion, looking for an explanation of her sudden movement.

Allison said, "Don't let anyone on base spot you or me. Remember, you're me as well! You can't catch anyone's attention or you risk our cover being blown."

Cameron nodded, "Right."

Despite Cameron's assurance that she understood Allison's concern, a grim look remained on Allison's face. It appeared she was having another "emotional episode" as Cameron classified it in her HUD.

It was obvious to Cameron that whenever something confused Allison for a long period of time, it would frustrate her and she would begin to express emotions in the form of crying, bitter quarrels, or even a trip to the gun range.

Cameron said, "You're not feeling well."

Allison answered, "No, I'm not. And you know why?"

Cameron played along, "Why?"

"Cameron, why would you do that for me? I really still don't get it. After everything I did…I nearly killed John once, I tried to kill you three times. I'm your enemy! I'm supposed to be the bad guy in your eyes. But…but you keep trying to save me. I don't understand. You have no mission to protect me and yet you still do. Why is my friendship important to you?"

"I owe you."

"Yeah, you killed me in another timeline. But that timeline no longer exists. You don't owe me anything. What gives? I don't understand!" Allison said.

"I don't want you to die. I don't want you to leave either." She said.

"Why?"

"You're useful to the resistance."

"But I've been trying to get John away from the resistance! How can I be useful if all I'm trying to do is kick John out of the resistance?"

"Because I want you to do it." Cameron said.

"What? What'd you say?" Allison said in shock.

Cameron said, "I want you to push John out of the resistance. I want you to become the leader instead."

"Why?" Allison demanded.

The cyborg explained, "Future John chose you to become the resistance's new leader subsequent to his absence or death. You know that already. But you were a young person, while he was much older. In our current future where we are right now, your ages are in close proximity to each other. John doesn't have to be the leader anymore. You can be."

"So what? Why…why would you want me to lead instead of John?" She said.

"Because John doesn't want to be a leader. He never did. Future John didn't want to be either. But you do. Perhaps your desire to lead might be enough to destroy Skynet."

"That's it. You're just turning against John like this? Isn't this betrayal?"

Cameron shook her head, "I'm not. I'm doing what he wants. The only reason he expects to lead the resistance is not because his mother, father, uncle, or friends ask him to. He does it because I ask him to. This John is different from future John. He cares too much about what I think. If anything happens to me while John is leading, he might lose his will to fight and Skynet will inevitably win. I can't take that risk."

"So this isn't about John and this isn't about me either. It's about protecting the base isn't it? That's why you're keeping me close to you, right?"

Cameron said, "You want me to say yes. You want to believe I can't care about anyone or respect human life the way you do. That way, you can understand me. But you don't. Caring about you or John doesn't mean I must disregard protecting the base. John has forgiven me for the terrible things I did. Just like John, I forgive you for the things you did too, whether you are sorry for it or not. No matter what you believe or say, you will always be my friend."

Allison couldn't answer. What she said nearly broke her. For the first time, she had no response. There was nothing to say. She could try to convince herself that Cameron was lying, but how could she? What would Cameron gain from saying this to her?

Allison reached forward and gave Cameron a hug. Cameron didn't move, or return the hug. But neither did she stop or stiffen up by Allison's sudden embrace.

Allison cried, "I hate you so much! I don't get you!"

Cameron said, "Me too."

"I'm sorry I tried to kill you those few times." Allison said with sniff.

"It's okay." She said.

Wiping the tears from her face, Allison said, "Come on, let's go. I think my uncle is ready."

"Uncle?"

"Yeah, I learned today I have a long-lost uncle. Pretty cool, right?"

"Yeah, uncles are tight." Cameron said.

* * *

 **(2009) Safehouse**

Sarah started getting a headache. Cameron conveyed a lot of information that she could barely wrap her head around. While John and Cameron sat together in a relaxed fashion, she got up and walked towards the kitchen. Opening a cupboard, she pulled out a tall glass and filled it with water.

Returning to the living room with a glass half-full of water, she said, "Okay, I get it. So you and Allison get all cute and happy. So what was I doing when Skynet's HKs came after the base?"

Cameron replied, "You and Derek had arrived just before Skynet attacked. While Derek should have been searching for Kyle Reese for a briefing, you visited General Perry, who had come to Ziera base in light of Charles Fischer."

"Oh, I see. What did we talk about?"

* * *

 **(2027) General Perry and Sarah Connor**

Near just about the center of the base, General Perry had finally arrived with reinforcements. The moment he heard that a potential gray had infiltrated Derek Reese's base, he just knew he had to come down and handle it himself. Perry hated everything about grays. Their very existence appalled him. But ever since he became the icon of this new pro-machine resistance, he got friendlier with machines, but ironically harsher on humans who chose to serve the interests of Skynet.

At the very center of the base, General Perry had instructed his men how to find Fischer. He knew that it just might be possible to find the son of a bitch so that he never saw the light of day again.

In the middle of his conversation with some of his best men, a female voice said to him, "General Perry."

Turning around, Perry found Sarah Connor standing right in front of him.

He said, "Sarah Connor? Weren't you on some mission with Derek Reese?"

"Yes, we've returned just a few minutes ago. I was interested to see what you were doing to find Fischer?"

Perry said, "My men are scouring all public areas as well as thoroughly searching every single civilian house on the base. With the base on lock down and every security guard, intelligence officer, and machine notified, it's only a matter of time before we find him."

Sarah Connor said, "Excellent."

"Listen, General. I've heard you've been through a lot. How have you been?" Perry said.

Sarah Connor sighed, "Pretty good considering."

"I heard you somehow survived cancer? I'm sorry to hear you've been taking unnecessary rounds of chemo. It really takes a toll on your health to be battling something that wasn't there to begin with."

Sarah replied, "What's done is done. You can't take it back, all you can do is make up for lost time perhaps."

Perry agreed, "Indeed."

"Oh and one more thing General that I wanted to mention to you."

"What is it?" Perry asked.

Sarah admitted, "I'm impressed with you."

"How so?"

Sarah said, "All the nearby bases stand behind you. Even San Francisco has decided to use a few machines to help them on their base. That only occurred because of your influences in their administration."

"I thought you hated machines. How would you be impressed with me?" Perry said.

"Yes, I do hate machines. But somehow you've convinced almost all military bases in California to stand behind you. You're so successful that not even the President is willing to stand against you."

At that very time, the sound of emergency alarms screeched throughout the entire base. The emerging noise of Skynet hunter-killers soaring from above forced Sarah and Perry to take cover.

Sarah screamed, "Well, this is unexpected!"

Immediately, Perry pulled out his radio, "This is Perry. All squads seize the search and regroup with your commander. We are under attack!"

While Perry spent his time on the radio underneath, Sarah Connor tried to understand what was going on. There were no terminators just yet. It was just a small squadron of aerial HKs swooping in and assaulting the base. Sarah was confused to say the least. Why would Skynet do this unless it was another distraction. All that thinking began to make sense when Perry turned to speak with Sarah.

Perry said, "We have heavy swarms of HKs headed our way. I've finally alerted LA Airforce like you asked to help intercept them and split them off. Our air defense system can only protect us for so long."

"What about on the ground?" Sarah said.

"We've got at least 2000 grays and at least 100 machines, all T-888s covered in flesh heading from the North. This is a trap or something almost definitely from Skynet. Damn it. That's going to make them harder to spot."

Sarah assured him, "All military personnel are dressed in the same identifiable uniform and the rest of the population is hiding in their homes or at least evacuated in their sleeping quarters. We should be fine for now."

Perry asked, "Are your men positioned outside the base?"

Sarah nodded, "My people are always ready. There will be no surprise attack we won't be ready for. They men may not be patriotic Americans, but Mexicans hate Skynet just as much as you or me."

Perry said, "Good. The enemy of my enemy is my friend, right?"

Just then, several men from above shouted, "Ogre! Ogre! We need the launchers now!"

While Sarah couldn't see it, she knew what Ogre meant. They were Skynet hunter-killer tanks designed to destroy resistance tanks, move through extremely rough terrain, and blast through the most impenetrable of fortresses. The HK tank approached. The mechanical gun swiveled and rose, aiming towards the titanium gate heavily fortified entrance.

Perry ordered to the men on the watchtower, "Take out the tank! Take it out now!"

Perry knew the power of Hunter-killer tanks. While gates were reinforced with hardened titanium, Skynet ogres were capable of breaking through it with a reasonable level of range and firepower.

Two of Perry's men grabbed their only two grenade launchers, kneeled down, and fired from the watchtower's position. Hissing their way to the tank, the propelling grenades exploded violently. The tank was destroyed, but not before it blasted a hole right through the gates.

In the far distance, sudden screams and cheers sounded about. They were grays. They somehow knew that Skynet had succeeded in breaking a hole right through the barrier. The grays suddenly charged forward. Sarah knew that her men were positioned in protection of the base. She knew her soldiers could hold them off. But with more and more coming, Sarah knew it was only a matter of time before some Skynet sympathizers made it through the seared whole in the base.

Swarms of grays stormed towards Ziera base, overwhelming Sarah's men. But instead of trying to kill off Sarah's men like she feared, the grays chose the unfortunately worse option. They kept pressing to enter through the unprotected opening in Ziera base.

Sarah fired back, bolldly standing her ground against the onslaught that was yet to come. Most of the blasts aimed towards her were off target. They were too far away to shoot at her accurately through a small hole in the wall. Over and over, a combination of Perry and Derek's men tried to protect the opening from an attempt through. They knew that no matter went through that hole, they'd beat it down with as many bullets and plasma bolts as necessary. In the middle of the exchange, one stray bullet made its way into Sarah's abdomen. She dropped down quickly, shocked by the sudden injury.

Most of the grays used standard issue Skynet plasma weapons. But some grays carried guns. If Sarah were hit by a plasma bolt, her wound would have cauterized and she'd be fine. But that wasn't the case. She was bleeding out. Two members of Perry's militia dragged her away from the blasts and behind the corner of a building.

The pain was extreme. Sarah wanted to be left alone, but didn't have the energy nor the will to wave them off. Looking off into the distance, Sarah's blurry vision made out a terminator coming. Sarah was afraid. There was a machine mechanically marching towards them, but the soldiers didn't notice it. She was scared, but much too out of breath to even say anything.

When the machine finally got to her, Sarah understood why the men ignored her. It was Cameron.

* * *

 **Kyle and Derek**

When Derek had found that the base was under attack, he immediately went looking for his brother to make sure he was okay. That's when Derek found Kyle rounding up his men. The men were nervous, but Kyle did his very best to keep calm and ensure none of his soldiers panicked. When Kyle saw Derek running in his direction, he smiled slightly relief. When he needed his brother most. He was there.

Kyle said, "Derek! Derek! You're alright!"

Derek said, "Of course I'm alright."

"Did you manage to talk to Jason."

Derek shook his head, "I talked to him. But we got nowhere."

Kyle answered, "Listen Derek, John Henry has confirmed with us that Skynet is attacking the base for real this time. They know about John Henry and they know that this base uses machines more heavily than any other base. If they destroy us, the resistance's morale will crumble. We have to stop them. Please, you got to lead them. We've got to stop this before it's too late."

Derek nodded, "Talk to your men. We're going to battle these damn Skynet machines."

With that firm smile of Derek, Kyle turned to his men and shouted at the top of his lungs, "Attention!"

Every soldier suddenly went stiff as a board. Their eyes hardly shifted as they stood in perfect formation. They tried to ignore the aerial HKs and their constant dogfights with the LA Airforce's A-10 fighters. They were nervous as hell, waiting for the moment Skynet's aerial HKs dropped a toxic bomb on them, wasting them all away. Kyle could feel it emanating from them. They were scared like little children.

Kyle noticed one of his men fidgeting slightly and said, "Is there a problem Private?"

"Permission to speak freely sir?" He asked.

"Permission granted."

The asked, "What are we doing here sir? What's going on?"

Kyle informed, "Skynet is attacking the base. They intend not simply to scare us, but to destroy us and our families. Most of you are young and inexperienced. This will be your first time in combat. You will assist the veteran soldiers under Perry and your Lieutenant. Meanwhile, General Sarah Connor's men will take care of themselves. Don't worry too much about the machines. Just remember the rules of engagement and stay in formation. When we're good and ready, we'll give 'em hell. Just make sure you get back home safely to enjoy the victory. Now remember, General Perry has authorized Derek Reese to take charge of you. I don't have the authority to lead you into battle. You will follow all his orders. Failure to comply will result in severe penalties and the worst court marshalling you'll ever have in your life. Is that understood?"

Everyone shouted in a fiery rage, "Yes sir!"

Derek shouted, "Well then soldiers, move, move, move!"

Immediately, the men stormed off to their designated position, awaiting the onslaught of grays and the machines that marched behind them.

While Derek ran off with the men, Kyle took a glance at his watch. He feared the worst, but didn't have much time to dwell on it. He couldn't worry about John, Allison, or his brother Derek. He couldn't allow himself to worry about Savannah either, a woman who's always insisted she could take care of herself. But that wouldn't stop him from worrying. He struggled to keep focus.

* * *

 **Ellison and John**

John felt a little confused with himself. Cameron had left him alone. While Cameron had given him a gun to go and fight, she specifically instructed him to find a good place to hide. John wasn't sure what to do. Cameron appeared to be sending him mixed messages. Should he stay safe or should he go out and fight like any leader would? John wanted advice on what to do, but Derek and Kyle were busy with the troops while his mother was nowhere to be seen. John figured that she was probably out there with her men trying to battle it out against Skynet's forces. He felt alone. Just when he thought there were no familiar faces around him, he spotted Ellison running towards him.

Ellison said, "John! What are you doing here?!"

Suddenly, a missile strike zoomed over Ellison's head, blowing off half the ceiling of Intelligence headquarters. Some of the intelligence officers fled the building, fearing that the building would collapse on their heads.

Ellison pushed John off into one of the barracks and said again, "John? Where's your…where's Cameron? What are you doing here? You should be hiding somewhere."

He answered, "Cameron is off looking for Allison."

Ellison frowned, "Why? We all know where she is."

John said, "I guess she just wants to keep her safe."

"But why are you out here? Do you want to get yourself killed?"

John said, "I have to help. I have to do something. Even if that means killing a few machines!"

Ellison said, "John, you know that you're supposed to be some kind of a leader right? If Skynet kills you, the future of the resistance fades. Let's not forget the fact that once you're dead, there's no changing that! There's no way we can go back in time and fix that again."

John replied, "Look, Skynet is not supposed to know who I am. I should be fine."

Ellison ecstatically replied, "Really? Is that a chance you want to take?"

John said, "Speaking of chances, I never got a chance to thank you."

"Thank you for what?" Ellison said, confused by the sudden change of subject.

John replied, "For working with my mom, even if it was for a very short time. If I didn't know it, I think you helped keep her sane while I was away in search of Cameron. Most importantly, you tried to help her stop judgment day."

"Yeah, we did try." Ellison said.

John questioned, "Agent Ellison, you never told me what you and mom were working on before judgment day happened. I tried to get it out of my mom, but she wouldn't tell me. Why?"

Ellison shrugged, "It's a bit of a personal matter. She doesn't think it's worth pursuing anymore. It was just a crazy theory."

John wondered, "Was it crazy enough to be completely true? This is Skynet we're talking about here, remember?"

Ellison said, "Look, it's not important anymore. Judgment day already happened."

"At least tell me something. If it's not a valid theory anymore, you shouldn't be afraid to tell me." John said.

Ellison sighed, "Look...Dyson wasn't just behind Cyberdyne's Skynet…but Kaliba's Skynet too."

John laughed, "That makes no sense. Dyson was long dead before Kaliba emerged. He can't be responsible for Kaliba's development of Skynet."

John couldn't understand Ellison. How could Myles Dyson be responsible for Kaliba's development of Skynet? It wasn't just a crazy theory, but it made absolutely no sense either. Just as John tried to respond with another inquiry, another explosion occurred, cutting off their conversation completely. The blast forced John and Ellison to cover their faces to protect themselves from dust and debris that flew through the barrack's entrance. An HK managed to destroy one of their nearby food storage facilities.

Ellison said, "You need to find a better place to hide. This isn't working out for us."

John insisted, "I should stay here and help."

"Son, there's nothing you can do to help. Just stay out of the way and let John Henry and the rest of the veterans do their jobs. Just do yourself a favor and hide. It's the best thing you can do to protect the resistance and stop Skynet. I can't stress that enough. Listen, I've got to go."

Ellison pulled out what appeared to be a Desert Eagle pistol. Pushing in another magazine and loading the weapon, Ellison physically and mentally prepared himself to get back out into the heat of battle.

John said, "Hey, is that Derek's gun?"

Ellison nodded, "Yeah, he loaned it to me. I like this weapon."

"Where are you going? What are you planning with that gun? Will you go out and fight?"

"Sort of. I need to make sure Savannah's okay. I haven't seen her since we got back from Weaver's base."

John thought to himself, "Weaver's base? What was Ellison doing there?"

But before John could ask that question, Ellison was already out the door. John's mind suddenly flashed back to Derek's Desert Eagle. He remembered those words his uncle told him in 2008. Derek told him that he'd never fire a weapon that wasn't loaded by himself. It was a trust problem that Derek suffered from. Perhaps such a precaution was warranted, but it's what made John different from his uncle. For example, John, against his better judgment, trusted Cameron was not lying or misleading him when she said she needed to go out and find Allison. John also trusted his mother to protect him, even though she couldn't do it all the time. John even trusted Weaver, even though she was probably the worst possible thing to trust...ever.

John understood at that point why he was supposed to be the leader of the resistance. He took risks. He trusted people even though others wouldn't. His future self implemented machines into the resistance even though others were too afraid to do it. He broke the rules even when the penalties were harsh. John knew that he was destined to become the very person others were not willing to be. That's why people protected him so valiantly. There were so very few who could be like him. John's mind wandered towards Allison. John wondered why his future self wanted Allison to become the next leader. After all, she seemed rather hateful of machines, always by the book, and never trusting. John figured that his future self probably saw the great potential in Allison because of her utmost loyalty and her superior tactical skills. And despite Allison's claims otherwise, John knew that Allison liked some machines, including John Henry and Cameron.

John smiled to himself. He came to a realization that he never thought he'd experience. For a brief moment throughout the battle for Ziera base, John felt happy. He felt like he understood everything, as if he were on top of the world.

* * *

 **Weaver and Savannah**

Savannah had fallen into panic when the machines attacked the base. She knew that at any minute, grays would infest the base. All doors were locked up, and every citizen was instructed not to open doors to anyone, including her. She had spent so much time locking down the hatches, she had forgotten about her own safety. She realized she had to get somewhere safe. While Savannah knew how to use a gun, she wasn't a soldier. She was a mechanic who spent most of her time repairing A-10s before she decided to stick with John at Ziera base.

Savannah suddenly worried about Kyle. She figured Kyle would be busy, but that he'd also be worried sick about her. She figured she'd try to contact him soon.

In an attempt to orient herself, Savannah looked up. She was confused. She saw a small metal object about to fall onto one of the food supply centers. She was so close to it, she couldn't react in time. At any moment, she knew the shrapnel and wood would penetrate her body and kill her instantly. Before she could even blink, she heard metal and bricks exploding together in a fiery glory. Just before that happened, a large metal shield surrounded her.

The explosion shook the ground that she stood on, but she felt nothing. All she could see was a mirror-like metallic shield surrounding her body. Savannah frowned in confusion, wondering why she wasn't dead. Suddenly, that same metallic shield turned into something. It turned into a human being that took the form of her late mother. Once again, it was Catherine Weaver.

Savannah ungratefully commented, "What are you doing here? Aren't you too busy ignoring us to be here right now?"

"I told you that I'm partially responsible for it." Weaver replied.

"No kidding." Savannah frowned.

"Now that I have provoked Skynet to test their current numbers, it appears I have underestimated the truest extent of their power."

Savannah screamed, "People are dying because of you! How could you…forget it, I'm not talking to a machine anymore. Why do I keep wasting my time with you?"

Weaver snapped, "Savannah, I do not know how your human morals work nor do I completely understand them. In war, humans themselves have sacrificed cities of thousands and even millions for the greater good. They let innocent people to die to save more innocent people in the end. I'm not doing this because I'm a T-1001. I'm doing this to ultimately protect more humans from suffering the same fate. And whether you understand it or not, I will continue to do it. Perhaps your conscience in particular forbids you from killing altogether or at least allowing some to die for the sake of others, but at least you can acknowledge that the moment we go back to the past in 2009, all this terror is undone. I don't have to be accountable to killing those who are no longer dead."

"Wait a minute. Go back? What do you mean by going back?" Savannah said.

Weaver finally cut to the chase, "Savannah, I need your help with John Henry. Both your John and my John must return to the past."

"You could ask anyone else to do it." Savannah said.

Weaver said, "They're busy protecting this base. You're the only one I can trust. John Henry needs your help too."

Weaver was lying. John Connor was perfectly available to help. But Weaver wanted Savannah. Perhaps Weaver couldn't understand it herself, but something inside the liquid metal terminator told her that she needed Savannah to be there helping her.

"Fine, I'll go. What do you need?" Savannah said.

"There is crucial information I have gathered regarding Skynet. I have future locations for Skynet controlled bases, possible locations for Skynet resources, children who will become grays, and much more complex data than you can ever imagine."

Savannah simplified it, "In other words, you have a goldmine of information that is far too precious to have sitting around. You need to bring it back to 2009 to keep it safe."

All of the sudden, that voice in Savannah's head said, "No one is ever safe."

Clearly, Sarah Connor still had a deep influence on Savannah's train of thought. Savannah tried to shake the thought off, returning to the present.

Weaver explained, "John Henry must know this if he is to return to the past. Come with me."

Suddenly, it dawned on Savannah that Weaver, John Henry, John, and Cameron were leaving. Savannah didn't want that. She couldn't understand it. Three of those four people she just mentioned were machines, but she couldn't stand the thought of them leaving.

Savannah objected, "But you can't go. We've worked so hard for this. I've got a life. I've got Kyle…I've…I've got John, Cameron, and Allison. We're like family."

Weaver said, "You will grow up with them if they go back. Would you rather things remain where they are now? Would you rather that world experience judgment day? Would you rather Allison Young's parents die? Would you rather Derek and Kyle Reese lose their entire family?"

Savannah admitted, "No…no."

Weaver replied, "So then you know that this is isn't about you. You would give this all up if it meant a better life for everyone else. That's just the type of person you are."

"I guess you know me better than I thought."

"Then come with me." She said.

Savannah said, "Weaver."

Savannah cringed at the thought of what she was about to say.

"Yes, Savannah?" Weaver replied.

Savannah took a deep breath and confessed, "I don't want you to leave. I know we had our differences…but, I know you're always protecting me."

Weaver said, "I always have. Now come along quickly. We don't have much time. Once you plug the transfer cord into John Henry's head, I will upload the new data."

Savannah nodded, "Okay, this should be a piece of cake."

Weaver said, "The fate of the world lies in your hands Savannah."

Savannah laughed with a bit of a craze, "Yeah, like I said, a piece of cake."

Weaver replied, "I never understood what that meant. What's a piece of cake supposed to mean?"

* * *

 **John in the Barracks**

John had spent enough time waiting. Derek had also instructed him to stay away from the machines. But John was done waiting. If there was one thing he shared with his uncle, it was his ability to bend the rules. If John couldn't kill machines with a high powered rifle, he sure could spend his time going after a few grays.

That's when Weaver appeared, walking right through the entrance like it was a casual thing to do when the base was engulfed in all-out war.

John said, "Weaver? What are you doing here?"

"I've come to enlist Savannah's help with John Henry. What are you doing here?"

John said, "I'm trying to go out and kill some grays."

"You aren't ready for that Mr. Connor. It would be better if you remained hidden."

"To hell with what I'm ready for! I have to help." He insisted.

Weaver said, "You may think that you're useless unless you go out and fight. But plasma bolts and fists can only get you so far. Strategy requires finesse and patience, something you still struggle with."

John said, "I feel like you're getting to a point here?"

Weaver said, "You aren't ready to kill just yet Mr. Connor. Ms. Phillips has told me that it has been a mental burden on you for months when you killed Sarkissian at such a young age. We can't let that happen again."

John said, "Well what can I do then?! I feel like you're all holding me back."

Weaver said, "No Mr. Connor, I'm protecting you from becoming me. You must become a symbol of moral uprightness. Failure to do so will convince the resistance that you've assimilated to the machines and have proven yourself vulnerable to manipulation."

John sighed, "Yeah, well it is a pain in the ass, I'll tell you that."

Weaver replied, "Call Lieutenant Reese. Talk to him."

"Why?" John asked.

"Tell your uncle that I've dealt with Fischer. He need not worry about him anymore."

John said, "Did you kill him?!"

Weaver answered, "That is not important, but you don't need to worry about him going back in time. The paradox is broken, so you should not be concerned with him any longer."

"So you're not going to tell me where he is are you?" John figured.

Weaver didn't reply. John knew why Weaver was keeping that information from him. He wasn't ready to handle big baddies like Fischer. He also understood why Weaver restrained him from doing the things he wanted to do. But John couldn't help but feel insulted by Weaver for his apparent lack of maturity.

Weaver replied, "I will return to Savannah. Stay here as you were instructed. Believe it or not, I do have a mission for you. I will send someone to relay the correct information to you when the time calls for it."

John replied with an inquisitive eye, "What are you planning?"

Weaver said, "As I've said before, all will be revealed soon."

John began to worry. What was Weaver planning while Skynet was attacking the base? That thought suddenly fizzed away when John felt a barrage of machine firepower puncturing right through the walls. John dived behind a table and covered his head to protect himself from the sudden debris. Opening his eyes again, he saw that Weaver was gone.

* * *

 **Kyle and Derek**

Kyle and Derek watched as grays poured in. The two brothers wondered how Perry and Sarah were faring, but based on the fact that grays were here, it was very likely that the grays broke through Sarah's defense. As more and more grays poured through, just as many plasma bolts hit them. Most of the grays couldn't make a few feet before getting mowed down in gunfire. One gray managed to avoid the blasts and took aim at Kyle.

Derek shouted, "Kyle!"

Derek blasted a shot quickly, protecting his brother from the lethal bolt.

When Derek noticed that Kyle was frozen stiff, he pulled him to the side, out of range of gunfire, and said to him, "Kyle, what's wrong with you?!"

Kyle admitted, "Sorry man, I…my mind is fixed on Savannah. I'm worried sick about her."

Kyle would've thought that Derek was going to scold him for his lack of focus. Kyle hated himself sometimes for being more emotional than Derek and worrying constantly about others. But Derek did something that confused Kyle.

Derek said, "I'm worried too. I think Sarah's going to get herself killed."

Kyle replied, "Wait. You're worried? About General Connor?"

Derek nodded, "Of course. I get it. Just, go and call her. See if she's okay, then you can join me in battle. Kyle, I'll need your help. This is going to be tight. I've already lost too many men."

Kyle nodded, "Okay."

While Derek ran off to aid his men, Kyle switched on his radio and said, "Savannah, are you there? Where are you?"

After a brief moment, a voice replied, "Kyle, I'm in the basement with John Henry."

The relief that showed on Kyle's face was apparent. He breathed heavily in relief.

"How do you have signal down there?" Kyle wondered.

Savannah explained, "John Henry has wired a strong signal down here."

"Oh. Are you okay?" He said.

Savannah replied cheerily, "Don't worry about me. I'm just helping Weaver."

"The liquid metal?" Kyle said.

"Yeah. I'm not doing something stupid. I'll keep me safe. Please focus on your work, don't think too much about me, okay?"

Kyle admitted, "I don't think I could ever do that."

"I love you Kyle." She said.

"You too. But please Savannah, find one of the bunkers and stay there as soon as you can. It won't be long before you are permanently locked out."

Savannah replied, "Okay Kyle, but please don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Really."

 **Meanwhile…**

Derek didn't return to battle as quickly as he anticipated. His radio started beeping, indicating that there was an emergency that needed is immediate aid.

When Derek responded to the alert, a voice came through saying, "Lieutenant Reese, this is Catherine Weaver."

"The metal?"

Weaver replied, "Yes, the metal. I will need you and perhaps your brother to go and find your nephew in one of the barracks and keep him safe. He is alone and I fear he will do something foolish without you watching out for him. I need John Connor for something, something that can help the resistance win. Do you accept the mission?"

Derek screamed, "How do you think I'm going to trust you?"

Weaver said, "You have no choice in the matter. I'm your best hope. I got you into this mess, now I will get you out of it."

Derek replied, "Well, who's going to lead my men? I can't abandon them like this. And Perry already has too much to deal with."

Weaver said, "Do as the military normally does in a time of crisis. Hand the authority to someone you trust. I'm sure you can figure out who that is Lieutenant."

Derek thought to himself, "Bedell!"

Weaver replied, "I'll see you soon Lieutenant. This is extremely important."

Immediately, Derek called for his brother. Despite everything Weaver did, Derek cared about the people on this base. If doing as Weaver said could help him, he was damn sure he'd do it.

* * *

 **Allison and Cameron and William**

Allison spoke up first, "Did you see Corporal William leave with the woman and her kid?"

Cameron said, "Yes, he left. He told me to tell you to be careful."

Allison nodded, "I always am."

Cameron said, "Except when you're not."

Allison rolled her eyes whispered to herself, "…bitch."

Cameron pointed out, "I heard that."

Allison smiled, "I know."

On their way towards the barracks where they thought they'd find John, they noticed that an approaching ogre that blew a whole into Ziera base's defensive walls. Witnessing an exchange of plasma bolts between grays and friendly machines, Cameron spotted someone she knew from afar off.

"Sarah is in trouble." Cameron said, "I think she's going to get shot."

Allison replied, "Are you sure?"

Cameron was certain. She had identified Sarah's body barely missing several unknown projectiles. While Perry's men had mostly fallen back, she as well as a few other brave souls stayed there to fend them off. Cameron wasn't sure what Sarah was trying to do. Was she trying to turn herself and the remaining men into an expendable wall of human shields? Cameron knew she had to do something.

Cameron said, "Yes. I will go help her."

Cameron looked to Allison and instructed, "Go find John in the meantime. Keep him safe."

Allison shook her head, "You sure he's not going to kill me? Perhaps I should go and help Sarah."

Cameron said, "No. John wouldn't kill you even if he wanted to. Go, make sure he's okay. I will protect Sarah."

"Okay. Adios." Allison remarked.

Allison immediately launched towards the barracks, running at lightning speed. She dodged one blast to another, trying to stay out of the gunfire. Once Allison looked back, she found that grays had begun pouring into the base. They were overrunning their defenses. She realized what was going on. Allison knew that in a matter of time, Skynet's machines would battle it out against John Henry's last defense of terminators. And with Skynet outnumbering John Henry three to one, the odds weren't looking good.

 **Meanwhile...**

Just then, Cameron's radio voiced out, "Hey cyborg?"

Cameron picked up her radio and responded, "My name is Cameron."

The male voice replied, "Yeah, this is Corporal William. I just brought the boy and his mother back to the hospital. Where's Allison? I can't get a hold of her."

Cameron replied, "She's on her way to the barracks to find John."

Cameron didn't pay much attention, however, to Will. Her attention was partially distracted by Sarah Connor. In the distance, Cameron watched Sarah Connor continue to stand her ground against the onslaught of anti-resistance fighters. She was about to get herself killed. Cameron immediately approached Sarah in hopes of getting her away from the fire.

Corporal Will, still none the wiser of Cameron's situation, said, "Listen, someone wanted me to send a message to you and John. It's some lady. She told me to tell you…"

Cameron heard Sarah groan and drop to the ground in dire pain. Blood spattered all over her uniform.

With widened eyes, Cameron shouted, "Corporal, come to the barracks. Let us know what you have to tell us there. I have to go now."

Cameron rushed towards Sarah Connor's aid. Sarah was definitely shot and if there was any chance she'd survive this, she had to get her somewhere safe. Cameron knew that the only way to the infirmary was now blocked off by a heated battle between friendly terminators and grays with plasma rifles.

As soon as Cameron saw a friendly terminator get blown away by a gray, she immediately decided to carry Sarah to see John. Cameron already knew what Weaver was planning from the start. She wanted her and John to go back in time to try and stop judgment day once again. It was something that she and Weaver agreed to do long before telling John all about it. Cameron had witnessed the battle firsthand. She knew the possibility of Derek's men defeating Skynet was a slim one, and not one with which Weaver was going to take a chance. In other words, they were going back. It was that plain and simple.

Approaching Sarah in the midst of battle, Cameron said, "I'm taking you to see John."

"Cameron? Where were you this whole time?" She muttered.

Cameron replied, "It's not important. There's something we have to do. Weaver's planning something."

As Cameron grabbed hold of Sarah and hoisted much of her weight onto her metal frame, Sarah groaned in angst, "Damn it! Ah...um, let me guess. Weaver wants to take you and John back to 2009."

Cameron said, "How did you know?"

Sarah gritted her teeth, "I'm old, not stupid."

* * *

 **(2009) Safehouse**

Sarah interrupted, "So Cameron, you helped me out while Allison looked for John in the barracks?"

Cameron confirmed, "Yes."

"And so this is where Allison Young, your twin, confronts John and you end up carrying an old injured me towards the barracks where John was, only to find a dead machine on the floor and Allison bleeding out from her neck?"

John nodded, "Right."

Sarah said, "So all the drama ensues. Allison is shot. I'm shot. Kyle and Allison are basically begging you to go back in time. In the meantime, Savannah and Weaver are prepping John Henry and the time machine for you to go back. So as of now, you guys are coming closer to your departure to 2009. Your plan is to go back and undo all the damage Skynet's doing in 2027?"

John replied, "Once again, you're correct. But it wasn't that simple. That is, getting to the time machine."

Sarah looked to Cameron, "So why wasn't it that simple? Couldn't you just hop in and go home? What was stopping you. By now, Fischer's dead, right?"

Cameron spoke once again, "Yes, Fischer was probably dead. But Fischer wasn't the only villain we underestimated."

* * *

 **(2027) Heading towards Ziera basement...**

Derek raced towards Ziera basement. He managed to catch up with Cameron and John, who paced themselves at lightning speed just ahead of him.

Seeing an oncoming threat, Cameron pulled John to one side, stood in front of him, and aimed towards a gray charging towards her. She shot the gray with ease, dropping him quickly. Then they pushed forward once again.

Cameron said to John, "Machine at 3 o' clock."

Quickly, John ducked out of sight of the machine while still pressing towards Ziera basement. At the same time, Cameron had finally spotted Derek following them close behind.

Cameron said to Derek, "Cover me."

Derek complained, "Since when do I take orders from metalheads like you?"

Cameron retorted, "Ever since the day you met Allison Young."

Derek thought to himself, "Crap. That's actually true."

Quickly, he aimed his weapon towards more oncoming grays heading towards Intelligence HQ to destroy it. As Cameron pulled John closer towards Ziera basement, Derek distracted them with a few plasma bolts to give Cameron the opening to get inside.

* * *

 **Joan, Becky, and Lesley**

Shortly before the chaos happened, Joan and her sister Becky had decided to visit their mother who was currently under Derek Reese's custody. When the two sisters visited the correctional facility within Ziera base, they notified the guard that they were visitors hoping to speak with their mother.

The two sisters argued with each other while they waited on the guard to bring Lesley to the visiting room.

Becky muttered, "We shouldn't be here."

Joan replied, "She's our mother. What kind of daughters would we be if we didn't visit her?"

"What kind of mother lies to us about what happened to our family?" She snapped back.

"She's broken Becky. She's broken. She didn't want to share that brokenness with us. But now we know, so we need to help her the best way we can."

Just then, a guard opened the door, as indicated by the sharp buzzing noise. When the two twins looked up, they saw their mother in an orange jumpsuit. Her face was blanked out like she suffered no emotions. Her handcuffs tightly clamped her arms together. The guard pulled out one of his keys and opened her handcuffs. Lesley rubbed her wrists hard, trying to regain feeling in her hands. When she looked to her right to identify her visitors, her eyes lit up in seeing her two daughters there for her.

Just when she opened her mouth to speak, a sudden explosion toppled them to the ground. Chunks of ceiling and live electrical wires fell to the floor. Alarms sounded while guards ran in all sorts of directions trying to secure the prisoners.

In that sudden moment, Lesley found an opportunity she'd been waiting for all along. The explosion conveniently blasted a large whole in the concrete walls, leading to the outside. It was an opening to her freedom. Lesley used her feet too kick the guard in his leg. The guard fell on his knees, allowing Lesley to strike him even harder in the neck.

Becky screamed, "Mom?! What are you doing?! Stop!"

Lesley ignored her. She grabbed his plasma gun and marched towards the opening in the wall.

Joan shouted, "Mom, where are you going?"

Lesley answered with three words, "To finish this."

That's when Joan realized what her mom was up to.

Joan looked to Becky and said, "We don't need to be here Becky. The guards can take care of themselves. We have to follow her and make sure she doesn't end up killing anyone."

Becky agreed, "Let's go."

 **Meanwhile…**

Once Captain Bedell heard from Derek that he was headed straight towards Ziera basement along with Cameron and John to go back in time, Bedell knew he had to go there to make sure it happened.

Bedell immediately ordered the HCR soldiers and his friendly terminators to pull back into a more defensive formation. While they seemed to be losing their footing on the ground, good news was that Ziera base's anti-aircraft weaponry were successfully picking off the pesky aerial HKs. This gave Bedell the chance to make a break towards Derek's direction.

At the same time, Derek along with John and Cameron made it to the basement and entered through the secured door with a complex password.

Joan and Becky had found their mother Lesley following them from close behind. They were too far away from then and didn't have radios with the same channel as Cameron's and John's. They screamed towards John and Derek, trying to warn them, but neither one could hear the two women.

To be honest, Cameron did hear them, but she filtered out the noise from her audio sensors assuming that they were screaming for their lives and not to warn her of something dangerous. In other words, Cameron ignored them.

John climbed down the unnecessarily long ladder and down a few more stairs. Turning to the left, John could make out in the distance John Henry sitting in his chair. With a slight smile, John paced himself towards the artificially intelligent machine awaiting his return to the past. But that thought was just too good to be true.

A female voice echoed from the shadowy corner beside John. Cameron immediately assessed her HUD and audio records to determine it was General Lesley holding an M-27 plasma rifle. It became apparent to the cyborg that Lesley had somehow escaped and followed them to Ziera basement. Lesley raised her weapon, aiming towards John. For a moment, time froze. She squeezed the trigger, intending to end his life forever.

Lesley cried bitterly, "I've been waiting for you John Connor. And now you and your cyborg will pay!"

Cameron shouted louder than she ever did before, "John!"

She violently pushed John away, absorbing the blast into her face. It knocked her back, but she didn't lose her balance. Lesley fired again, hitting Cameron in her shoulder. She fired again, destroying her other shoulder. She kept pumping blast after blast into Cameron. The heated shockwaves melted and destroyed Cameron's clothes and flesh. Burns and dents smothered her body.

John screamed, "Cameron! No!"

Just as Cameron collapsed to the ground, Derek drew his gun, intending to kill Lesley. With her plasma rifle out of charge, Derek drew his weapon. Just when the Lieutenant was about to finish her off with a bullet to the head, another human threw himself towards Lesley, knocking the former General the ground with lightning speed. It was Captain Martin Bedell.

Bedell wrestled the rifle out of her hand and pinned her down. Oddly enough, Lesley did not resist. She just wasn't interested in getting away.

Derek looked surprise, "Bedell, you got here quickly!"

Bedell answered, "Reese, my injury slowed me down. But I'm still a pretty good cross country runner."

Derek said, "You could've gotten yourself killed Bedell. I could've shot you. Why'd you do that Captain?"

Bedell replied, "I finally know what you're up to Reese. You're helping John and the cyborg go back in time. You're going help John become a leader aren't you?"

Derek frowned, "What's that got to do with anything?"

Bedell explained, "No killing, especially in front of your nephew. No matter how hard it is Reese, you can't. John is going to be a leader, but if you teach him to be ruthless and to kill…if you teach him to hate machines and to hate grays, he won't be any different from General Lesley. Remember that Lieutenant."

Derek nodded, turning to see the carnage that Lesley left behind.

Cameron lied there against the wall. John had found that the only thing keeping Cameron's head tilted upwards was the dented brick wall that supported her body from behind. Cameron was still activated…or in John's sense, alive. But her flashing blue eyes gave John the idea that something was wrong within her hardware.

A sudden male voice behind John said, "I'm sorry."

It was Derek's voice.

John cried, "C-Cameron? Are you okay? Are you there?"

Cameron's eyes slowly shifted upwards. She opened her mouth to speak.

She said, "John…"

John was shocked to hear that Cameron's voice emulation was gone. She didn't sound anything like Allison anymore. It was a very plain echo-like voice. She didn't sound like a human, but like the neutral voice coming out of a computer.

Cameron stammered, "This body. It…it can't…"

Once Joan and Becky got into the room, they noticed that Lesley was on the ground with Bedell on top of her, getting her handcuffed.

When Becky saw the destroyed female terminator to her far right, she screamed, "Oh no!"

Bedell looked to Joan and said, "Get your mother out of here! Now!"

The two sisters grabbed their dejected mother and forced her upwards and carried her silently away. Lesley had finally had her peace. She managed to destroy what she hated the most. Not a word came from her mouth. She merely smiled that she had won. She finally had her revenge and now she would let those actions sink into John's mind.

John began to think. That moment Lesley shot Cameron, John felt so helpless. It happened so fast, he couldn't think anymore. He didn't even have a gun to stop her. John cursed himself. He must have dropped it somewhere while he was in the barracks with Allison.

Cameron struggled to maintain her vision. It was very fuzzy, though she knew that John was in front of her. She immediately assessed her damaged head-up display.

 **23 % Structural Integrity**

 **Nuclear Power Cell damaged; Powering down in 10, 9, 8…**

John cried, "Cameron, I'm sorry. I…tell me what I should do. How do I fix you? You're far too damaged to go through the time machine safely. How do I get you through?"

Cameron answered, "You can't."

He pleaded, "No, stop saying that!"

"John, I don't have much...time. Do...it the way I did." Cameron said, her voice becoming increasingly sluggish and soft.

"What?" John still didn't understand what Cameron was saying.

The only fragment that came from Cameron was, "The way...I got here first."

John was perplexed. What did Cameron mean? What was her cryptic message?

John pressed, "What do you mean Cameron?"

But it was too late. Cameron's head dropped down. She was deactivated. Her eyes flashed blue, and then she was gone.

Seeing her damaged and lifeless body, John panicked. It brought back memories from the last time John had seen her body in 2009. It didn't help at all hearing Derek and Bedell chanting his name, begging him to get to the time machine before it was too late. Any moment now, terminators would swarm through and destroy the time machine, preventing John from ever going back.

John shouted to Derek, "Shut up! Let me figure this out!"

He thought hard. What did Cameron mean? Upon seeing her lifeless body, John remembered what Cameron did in Ziera basement in 2009. That's it! She put her chip in John Henry's head! John immediately searched Cameron's body. He found fingerless mittens, a couple glocks, and then felt a lump in Cameron's back pocket.

John pulled it out and found her switch blade. He immediately started cutting into Cameron's head.

Bedell looked to Derek with a confused face, "What's John doing? Isn't that a little creepy for a ritual?"

Derek explained, "I think I know what he's doing. He's removing her chip."

"Why? What's the chip for?" Bedell wondered.

"The metal's hardware…it's in the chip. General Connor told me that everything the metal is...it comes from that chip. Without it, terminators can't function in any capacity."

Bedell nodded, "Oh, I didn't know that."

Derek said, "Shouldn't you be defending the base? Why'd you really come down here?"

Bedell retorted, "Shouldn't you be defending the base too? It's your job isn't it? You know the reason I'm here. I'm here to make sure you get the job done."

The two watched as John Connor abandoned the damaged machine. John raced towards them with a tiny black chip in his hands.

John said with determination in his eyes, "Let's go."

* * *

 **Ziera basement…**

John Connor had finally made it. Derek and Bedell followed closely behind. Marching to the room, they found John Henry there too. Surprisingly, Savannah stood by too, busy logging something into the computer's main keyboard display.

Derek frowned, "Savannah? Kyle told me you were safe and hiding away in a bunker!"

Savannah flashed a guilty look, "Please don't tell him. He'll kill me."

Ignoring there banter, John turned to John Henry and said, "I have a chip that needs to go back to the past. It's Cameron's."

When Savannah heard this, she frowned, "But where's Cameron's…her body? Where is it?"

John answered, "Lesley destroyed it. Her body is just a few feet away from here."

"I'm sorry, I didn't notice you needed help!"

John didn't smile, but he didn't blame Savannah either.

He said in all honestly, "Don't be. Cameron isn't dead. This chip here is Cameron."

Savannah looked a little confused, "How do you expect to fit the chip in there? John Henry already has a chip that represents his personality. You can't fit two in there."

John explained, "T-888s have one unique feature other machines don't have. It has more than one port so it can hold more than one chip."

John Henry nodded, "Mr. Connor is right. I do have another one located on the opposite corner of my skull."

John Connor said, "May I do the honors?"

John Henry bowed his head slightly, allowing John to cut open his head and place the chip inside of him. Savannah cringed at the ugly sight, fearing that somehow John would hurt John Henry. Nevertheless, she didn't say anything.

As John slipped the chip into his head, he asked Savannah, "So Savannah, what are you doing down here anyway?"

Savannah admitted, "Weaver asked me to help download some files into John Henry and unplug him from the computer mainframe in case anything went wrong."

John nodded, "I see."

Just as that conversation ended, a voice behind them said, "Well, it appears that you're all ready."

The voice of Weaver sent adrenaline through Savannah, but complete relief into John.

John said, "Weaver, you're back!"

"That I am." She commented briefly.

Weaver said, "Where's your cyborg?"

John pointed to John Henry saying, "In there. Cameron's body has been destroyed."

Weaver replied, "I see. I expect Cameron will return to her body in the past. So you have nothing to worry about."

Immediately, she approached the computer and typed in the correct time setting.

She said, "You will arrive in judgment day one week after you left. This will leave sufficient margin for error so that we do not end up meeting our past selves by accident."

A loud buzzing sound shook them to the core. It wasn't the time displacement equipment that was doing that, but the sound of men rumbling towards the time machine. If John didn't know any better, some machines had already infiltrated the base.

Weaver requested, "If any of you are coming with us, please step right here."

Derek grimaced at what he knew he was about to experience. He paused and hesitated, catching Bedell's attention.

Bedell smiled, turning to Derek, "Come on Reese! Why do you look so glum? Don't tell me you don't have the balls to do it?"

Derek grunted, "Yes, I do!"

Derek stood in between John and John Henry. To his amazement, he finally saw the very thing he had doubted for so long. Weaver approached the computer and stood next to Savannah.

Savannah said to Weaver, "Is this the correct time setting?"

Weaver nodded, "Yes Savannah, well done."

Savannah grinned slightly, but chose not to reply to Weaver's compliment.

A loud buzzing noise sounded and the ground started to vibrate. A small blue time bubble began to form. Recognizing the bubble, Bedell stepped away, awaiting their departure.

Savannah smiled, "I'm sorry to see you go John. Goodbye!"

John smiled, "Goodbye, Savannah. I'll miss you!"

Savannah replied, "No you won't. I'll be right there with you."

Sudden sound of a gun's discharge shook them out of their reverie. With a look of pain and anxiety on his face, Bedell dropped to his knees crying out in agonizing pain. Derek was shocked to see what he knew to be a T-888 behind him.

Savannah screamed, "Martin! No, get up! Get away!"

The T-888 marched towards the time machine. Everyone knew that the machines had finally overrun the base. John had no idea what became of Allison, Sarah, or Kyle. If they were dead, and the terminator destroyed the time displacement equipment...then John's entire family would be gone forever.

Savannah realized she was helpless to stop the machine. The T-888 marched forward, walking past Bedell, aiming to crush the computer panel which operated and controlled the time machine. Just when the T-888 was about to raise its arm to destroy it, a blast in its back distracted it for one second.

Turning back, the machine found James Ellison armed with a plasma rifle ready for the most dangerous duel of his life.

Savannah shouted, "Uncle James?"

Ellison smiled, "Savannah! There you are! I've been looking everywhere for you. I should've known you would've been hanging around with John Henry."

Savannah screamed, "The Captain is hurt! You have to help him uncle James!"

Without any more care for his life, Ellison charged towards the distracted machine, also giving time for Savannah and a limping Bedell to get out of the way.

Meanwhile, John turned to Weaver and said, "Do something!"

Weaver shook her head, "I'm sorry. The time machine is already in process. If I exit now, I might not make it back."

John wanted to move, but he knew he couldn't. He could only watch on in horror as the battle ensued.

Bedell and Ellison tried hard fighting back against the machine. Bedell managed to let go of his bleeding leg and send a few bolts into the terminator's leg. Combined with Ellison's plasma gun, their blasts had shaken the machine, but neither hit it in a sensitive place. The machine grabbed Ellison's gun and ripped it from his hands. After crushing it, he got hold of Ellison and tossed him aside, throwing him directly next to Savannah and an injured Bedell. It was over. The time machine would be destroyed. They needed only a few seconds more, but that was indeed too much. The machine would destroy it before that.

Savannah looked to Ellison and Bedell. They were alive, but injured. Savannah crawled more closely towards Ellison and Bedell.

She said to the Captain, "Is Kyle okay?"

Bedell groaned for his leg, "Yeah, I think so."

Savannah said, "What about your gun?"

Bedell muttered, "It's out of charge."

Savannah turned to Ellison, "You did good uncle James. You did your best. That's all the resistance could ask for. I'm just glad you're still alive."

Ellison smiled. One of the things he hated about being a part of the resistance was that he was useless. Besides knowing how to shoot a gun, Ellison lacked the experience to be a real member of the resistance. But his last moment of heroics and Savannah's nod of approval made him believe that he was worth more than he was letting on.

Bedell looked at his injured leg and groaned, "Just great. Another stupid injury!"

The T-888 was only inches away from destroying the entire process. He punched the screen, destroying the display. He punched again, crunching through the keyboards. Just as the Skynet terminator was about to rip through the electrical wiring, another loud blast dropped the machine to its knees.

It was an anonymous HCR soldier that saved the day. John smile in relief, realizing that the resistance somehow must have managed to kill off the infiltrating T-888s that tried to break into Ziera basement. Looking on, the soldier lifted his mask. With only a few more seconds before the expanding blue bubble made John disappear forever, the heroic man revealed himself to the team. This man was tall, dark, and well built. He was an African in appearance with tall stature and of a confident posture. He looked into John's eyes. John looked at him, thinking he recognized him, but he just couldn't put his finger on it.

John said to the soldier, "Thank you."

The soldier with an anxious tone and widened eyes responded, "You have to kill me. It's the only way. I had no idea it was true! I'm so sorry!"

John frowned, "What?"

John couldn't understand what the soldier was saying. Neither did Derek, Weaver, or John Henry.

Nevertheless, the soldier repeated, "You have to kill me. In the past, when I'm a teenager, you have to kill me."

"Why?" He asked.

"Because I built it." He the soldier answered.

John said, "Built what?"

"Skynet! I finished Andy Goode's work!"

John remembered Andy Goode. He was the one responsible for developing the Turk, which ultimately led to the creation of Skynet. Was this unknown soldier the expert behind the creation of Skynet?

"Who are you? How do you know about us?" John screamed.

The man answered, "I talked to a woman in San Francisco named Lauren Fields. She told me about you. You're Sarah's son, John Connor. I remember you."

John asked again to the unknown soldier, "But who are you?!"

"You know who I am. My name is Daniel Dyson."

John's jaw dropped. He finally understood what Ellison was talking about. It was true. His mother was right all along.

Suddenly, there was a flash. Everything went blank. The blue bubble disappeared and everything changed. John's eyes were closed. But he everything was different. The air was cleaner and crisp. The night was dark. The breeze was cool. John could hear the honking of vehicles in busy traffic. He was home. He was in 2009.

* * *

 **Arrival in Los Angeles, California…**

John found himself lying on the concrete ground.

"We're here." John heard Weaver say.

John looked at himself. Besides Weaver, every one of them were naked. To their convenience, it was the nighttime, and they were located between an alleyway.

John said, "Where are we?"

John Henry said, "It's 2009. We're an alleyway next to a clothing store."

John stated, "Ah, that's very convenient."

Meanwhile, Derek was still in shock. He looked around him. He just couldn't believe where he was. He looked left and right, not believing, but seeing the world before judgment day. He could see just at the corner of his eye tall skyscrapers, cars buzzing about, and people talking. It was just too much for him to bear.

Derek commented, "It's…it's so lifelike. It's…"

John added, "Derek, it's real."

All Derek could say was, "That's…that's…wow."

Weaver said, "Gentlemen, you know what you have to do. I will go now."

John Henry asked, "Where are you going?"

Weaver smiled, "Where else John Henry? I'm going to Ziera corporation. Someone has to clean up all that mess that Skynet made in my building."

As Weaver walked away, John looked to John Henry and said, "Did you recognize that man, the soldier we spoke to just before we left?"

"His facial coordinates don't match anyone in my current database? Is Daniel Dyson a friend of yours?"

John said, "Uh, you can say he's a mutual acquaintance. And potentially our lead to stopping judgment day for good."

John Henry wondered, "Mr. Connor, are you cold?"

John said, "Now that you mention it. I am. Come on, let's find some clothes and get out of here. I'm surprised, however, that Weaver would leave you alone like this when you're the very key to stopping judgment day."

John Henry replied, "Ms. Weaver is okay with leaving me alone as long as I am careful. Just like when I went to the future to save myself from Skynet. I went to the future alone, but Ms. Phillips and I knew it was the best way to keep me safe."

John said, "Well this time, you're the one that kept Cameron safe. So thanks for that."

John Henry smiled, "My pleasure."

* * *

 **(2009) Safehouse**

John interrupted Cameron's story, "Mom, now would be a good time to tell you that Danny Dyson, Miles Dysons's son, is here in 2009. Weaver's been searching for him for days, but hasn't found him. We do know that he's spent some time at MIT and Caltech. But other than that, he's off the grid. You know I think that Weaver's hoping to kill him…and perhaps stop judgment day in that way."

Sarah Connor rubbed the back of her neck, "Ellison and I were right this whole time. I can't believe it."

Cameron added, "Yes, that is why we need to find him first."

Sarah said, "So what, we can kill him first?"

Cameron shook her head, "No, to convince him no to. But if he refuses, then we kill him."

While killing was supposed to be a big no-no in the Connor family, at least Cameron was being honest and polite. There was no need to beat around the bush about it. Killing is killing.

John interrupted, "Um, Cameron, the goal is to not kill under any circumstances. We just need to do the same thing we did with Miles Dyson."

Cameron said, "But didn't future Daniel Dyson give you permission to kill him?"

John said, "That doesn't matter. If I gave you permission to kill me, would you do it?"

All of the sudden, the front door of the safehouse swung open and a young Savannah marched into the room, "I feel so happy. I finished coloring in school. Aunt Sarah, come look! I stayed between the lines!"

"Hey Savannah." John smiled, happy to see Savannah young and alive.

Sarah, on the other hand, frowned. She liked Savannah, but at the same time was annoyed to hear that her Kyle Reese ended up falling for that same young and sprightly redhead.

"Hi John." Savannah replied.

John asked, "Where's Ellison…um, I mean uncle James?"

Savannah smiled, "He told me he's going back to work with my mommy. That's why uncle Derek brought me here to stay for a while!"

Once again, the door swung open, revealing Derek Reese had returned home as well.

Derek said, "I'm home."

Sarah shouted, "Go away Reese! They're telling me a story."

Derek grumbled, "Whatever."

Derek immediately raced upstairs, ignoring the serious conversation Sarah was having with Cameron and John.

Sarah looked to Cameron and said, "So in the story, you mentioned that Weaver sent you back one week ahead of when you left? But I've only seen you two weeks after you left. What did you spend your time doing in the extra week? You didn't expect to find me to be anywhere else did you? What took you so long?"

John interrupted, "Uhhhhh, long story."

Sarah frowned, "What did you do?"

John began feeling nervous. He could feel himself begging to perspire, but tried hard to stay calm so that Sarah didn't catch onto his anxiety. Thankfully, Cameron stepped in to save the day.

Cameron said to Sarah, "After John removed my chip from John Henry and reactivated me, I determined that John may have a potential target on his back because Skynet could still be searching for him. I had to keep him safe."

Sarah cut in, "Oh, so John...you knew that that I had Matthew Murch repair Cameron's body?"

John nodded, "Yeah. That's how I knew where to go to find her body. I remember the message that you sent me in the future that helped me find Cameron's body. It was a pretty clever mystery that Savannah and Allison helped me solve."

Cameron interrupted, "Thank you for repairing my body Sarah. I appreciate it."

Sarah rolled her eyes, "Yeah, yeah, save it tin-miss. I already regret it."

Cameron said, "I hope you don't. I am happy to be reactivated."

"Okay, okay, you're welcome. Let's just say that Murch was all too happy to remove those C4 explosives you thoughtlessly stuffed into your thick skull."

Cameron admitted, "That was a mistake. I shouldn't have done that."

Sarah nodded, "What's done is done. Anyway, just tell me what you've been doing those past few days?"

Cameron replied, "John and I went back to the motel and we stayed there for a few days. It was purely precautionary."

Sarah flashed a curious look, "Are you sure that's all you did? You sure you didn't use this as an excuse to have fun?"

Cameron's HUD immediately displayed her past week of memories.

[Flashback]

 _ **Sunday**_

 **Storage facility where Cameron's body is reactivated…**

" _John?" Cameron said, lying down in the small storage container._

 _John pulled Cameron out of the box and gave the cyborg the tightest hug he had ever given in his life._

 _John said, "I missed you so much."_

 _Cameron commented, "In your perspective, I should've only been gone approximately 4 hours."_

 _John murmured in his reverie, "That's four hours too long."_

 _ **Monday**_

" _Come on Cameron. Let's go back to the motel! Let's have some fun!"_

 _Cameron replied, "We should see your mother. She deserves to know you're okay."_

 _John complained, "Look, I'm stressed out. I haven't had a moment to relax in months. You've got to give me a break at some point."_

" _It's not leader-like." She pointed out._

" _Cameron, that's the point. I'm taking a break from being a leader."_

" _I'm still not sure." She answered._

 _ **Tuesday**_

" _Wahooo!" John screamed._

 _Cameron deadpanned, "John, we're driving too fast."_

 _Cameron's complaints only convinced John to push their rental to the limit._

 _ **Wednesday**_

 _John forced Cameron on to the bed and jumped on her in his madness. In all his fury, he kissed her passionately, deeply searching her mouth with his tongue. They rolled over each other, falling off the bed with a loud thump._

 _ **Thursday**_

 _A blast of paint hit John right on his backside. John fell on his knees, annoyed that he had lost another game of paintball with his superior rival._

 _John groaned while removing his protective gear, "Cameron, you win again."_

 _Cameron lowered her paintball gun and nodded, "Yes, that is usually the case."_

 _ **Friday**_

 _Cameron said to John, "Do I look fat?"_

" _No, the jacket looks fine. But haven't you considered getting a color besides purple?"_

 _John sat there in the mall, completely frustrated at Cameron's lack of decision making skills. How could a terminator decide in a split second what the best of course of action was in the battlefield, yet at the same time struggle to determine whether she looks fat in a leather jacket?_

 _ **Saturday**_

 _John was exhausted. Cameron lied beside him. He cuddled up next to her, but he seemed completely out of it. He was tired. Yeah, he was happy, but still completely exhausted._

 _Cameron suggested, "Maybe we should go home now."_

 _John groaned, "Yeah, maybe we should."_

[End of Flashback]

Cameron answered with smug look on her face, "There was no fun involved. There's nothing you need to worry about."

* * *

 **John and Sarah in the Kitchen**

Hearing that crazy story gave Sarah Connor a headache. What she did in the future and how she an alternate version of herself coped with life without John scared her. She just couldn't believe that John met his biological father, only to find that he was in love with someone else that wasn't her. She could not wrap her head around the fact she abandoned James Ellison to live in Mexico for a while and eventually become a military officer. She couldn't understand how despite everything she did to fight cancer, she soon learned that she no longer suffered the leukemia that Cameron claimed she'd suffer in the future. It was a lot to take in. Sarah felt nervous, jealous, and upset all at the same time. She needed time to think. But that privacy was not something that John was going to give her. The moment she escaped to the kitchen after Cameron told her story, that same moment John approached her to speak with his mother.

John walked in the kitchen and said, "Hey mom, Cameron went for a walk. I wanted to talk to you for a second."

"Yes John." She said, rubbing her aching head.

John suddenly reached in and gave his mother a hug.

A surprised Sarah said, "You know John, we already did all the mushiness the moment you and Cameron came home."

John, refusing to let go of his mother, said, "I know. I just missed you know. Cameron told me that…that if I didn't leave, you would've died. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Sarah was surprised to say the least. She always knew that John loved her, but never thought he'd express it in such a passionate way. Only then did Sarah realize that he and the future version of herself just didn't talk much. They both seemed to have a lot on their chest and they were unwilling to communicate their feelings. It was the typical Connor dilemma that resulted from too stubborn individuals. But despite that, she was happy. And so was John.

Sarah responded, "I don't know what I'd do without you either. I've been so anxious the moment you left for the future…for her."

John, finally letting go of his mother, decided to ask her a question that had long been bothering him.

He said, "Mom, why did you let me go to the future?"

"There was no way I was going to stop you."

"No, really. What was your reason?" He asked.

"You'd never forgive me if I stopped you."

"Oh, I see. I'm glad you are being honest with me."

Sarah wondered, "Did future me tell you something different?"

"Yeah, she said she didn't really know why she did it. I guess she went through a whole lot more than you did...and I think that over time, she questioned her decision to save her."

Sarah wondered, "What do you think was my reason for regretting the decision?"

John admitted, "Mom..."

Sarah pressed him, "...No John! Really, what do you think made me regret saving Cameron?"

John said, "Well, when Allison came along, you thought that..."

Sarah stopped him right, "Oh...I know what you mean. I was trying to transfer your attachment to Cameron, onto Allison? Right?"

John replied, "Yeah, something like that."

Sarah replied, "Well, I suppose that makes sense."

Sarah wanted to ask a question. She wanted to ask whether John was in love with Cameron. But Sarah knew what John's response would be. He'd get angry and he'd probably deny it vehemently. Sarah had just got back John, so she didn't feel like getting off on the wrong foot with her son. She decided to leave it alone, and hope that John's attachment didn't progress into something that could be dangerous. Unfortunately for Sarah, it already did.

* * *

 **A month later…**

It had been a while since John and Cameron had returned from the future. John always had daydreams about being in 2027. Sometimes, he woke up from a few nightmares thinking it still was 2027 and that he and Skynet were at war. He even felt some nights that he could wake up one morning to find Kyle or Allison roaming about in kitchen. But much to his disappointment, they weren't there. Not a day went by when John didn't think fondly of them.

Nevertheless, everyone was well adjusted. Even Derek was getting used to it all. Eating tasty food and having warm showers always made him feel like he was overindulging. Ironically, he did his best to cope with all the luxuries of the pre-apocalyptic world. One thing that helped Derek get used to the new world he lived in was when John took Derek to a small park where he saw his younger self play with Kyle Reese. Seeing that Kyle was alive and well helped Derek a lot to manage his sudden sense of loss. Even the knowledge that a very young Allison was alive and well in 2009 gave Derek a small sense of hope that everything would be okay. And even though Derek wouldn't admit it, having a much younger, livelier, and hotheaded Sarah Connor aroused him very much. She was smoking hot as far as he was concerned.

In regards to John's relationship to his mother, it improved notably. John grew to respect Sarah's wishes a bit more as well as better appreciate the advice she gave him. John knew that having a mother that loved him was not something to be taken for granted. He also knew that life was short, and that at any time, things could change for better or for worse. Some of those things that brushed through John's mind was the cancerous effects of Leukemia or the scary thought of getting shot. This notion drove John to a much closer and protective relationship with his mother.

Sarah also found herself oddly surprised by Derek. At first, Sarah assumed that this Derek would be the same as the last one. But this Derek was more courteous to her than the previous Derek and he seemed to be more understanding of her thoughts and feelings. He seemed different. He seemed more cooperative. It was as if they had met before, which made perfect sense to Sarah. In learning that Kyle was very close to Derek in the new timeline John visited, Sarah felt a much higher degree of attachment to Derek through that biological connection. Sarah and Derek grew so close in fact, that on one mission, things got so heated between them that they started making out furiously on a stakeout. Over time, neither knew why exactly they did that. In fact, they never spoke of it after that. Either way, they both kind of knew that it was going to happen again at some point. The only real problem was that Sarah wasn't sure how to tell John that she was falling for his uncle. It was just weird.

Over time, John and Cameron grew noticeably closer too, but kept their improving relationship hidden from Derek and Sarah.

Now that things were getting back to normal in the "Connor" sense of the word, the Connor family began its partnership with Catherine Weaver and John Henry in hopes of somehow finding Danny Dyson. Bringing Ellison into the mix, John had a fun time explaining to the former FBI investigator what his future self did in the resistance. While Ellison was most certainly confused by the complexity of this new and strange timeline, he didn't need much convincing to believe it really happened. He was just happy to know that his involvement with Weaver didn't result in the destruction of the world but actually improved their chances of preventing judgment day. Knowing this, Ellison immediately agreed to return to Ziera corp. as the head of Weaver's security…upon the condition that Weaver didn't randomly murder people who were slight obstacles to her success.

There were a few bombshells though that really messed with the Connor family. For the most part, they came from Cameron. For example, there was this one time where John caught Cameron crying while watching a chick flick. That really confused John and that resulted in a very long and emotional conversation between them. There also was this other time Cameron deliberately left lingerie in John's bedroom to entice him. The only problem was that Sarah Connor found it first, resulting in a very long and difficult series of interrogations which eventually led Sarah to believe that there was some kind of a laundry mix-up. And finally, there was the time Cameron walked into the house with a baby in her arms. It was Allison Young.

Strangely, when the cyborg and the baby named Allison walked into the living room to meet the family, Allison got all of the love. Everyone wanted to hold her. They kept shouting those annoying phrases that Cameron absolutely despised like "aww, she's so cute!" or "aren't you adorable" or even the worst of all, "I love you so much". That one hurt Cameron a lot, especially considering that John said that the most.

But while the Connor family was happy to see Allison alive and well, they scolded Cameron. Even John was upset with his cyborg protector. Apparently, it was very wrong to steal someone's baby. All Cameron wanted to do was cheer the Connor family up. Why was she the bad guy?

Cameron thought to herself, "Who knew it was such a bad thing to kidnap babies?" She knew that espionage and treason were alright when fighting Skynet, so what made kidnapping and borrowing a baby so terribly bad? To make things worse, Cameron soon realized that bringing Allison to see the Connor family might have repercussions. Allison was really cute. She was so easy to hug and cuddle with. She was the queen of lovability. How could Cameron compete with that? It seemed like a potential rivalry to Cameron. Instead of Cameron vs Allison in 2027…it would be Cameron vs Baby in 2009. Cameron couldn't afford the competition. She knew that future Allison was smart. Perhaps future Allison convinced John to go back in time to 2009 just so she could compete with Cameron as a baby. It was a genius move, but not one that Cameron didn't consider. Cameron had one advantage though over Allison. Allison was weak. She could easily dispose of Allison and return her to her parents. It was the best way to win the battle for John's heart.

There was one exception to Cameron's scolding. Derek notably found himself in complete infatuation with Allison. In fact, Derek was so happy that Cameron brought her to their safehouse for a visit, that his prejudice against the cyborg gradually faded. That was something that the previous Derek could never do.

Perhaps the most important event happened between John and Cameron happened after Cameron returned Allison to her rightful parents. It happened almost a week later.

* * *

 **A week later with John and Cameron…**

The two people were outside on the front porch. It was a summer day, but the shade certainly helped them avoid the powerful rays of the sun. They were alone. They were having a quiet and pleasant conversation. But for the most part, they enjoyed the sensation of the wonderful outdoors. While John sat down on a small bench, Cameron stood up, vigilantly looking for any potential threats to John's safety.

John clasped his hands together and said suddenly, "Cameron, I still have this feeling."

Cameron, who stood by next to John answered, "You feel guilty for leaving. You question your decision to return to 2009."

"You have to understand, I feel like I abandoned them. Maybe you don't view it that way because it's time travel. But that's what I feel. I don't think you can understand it the way I do."

Cameron took a seat next to John. As usual, Cameron wasn't offended or annoyed. She knew she was a machine. After all, how could she, a cyborg, feel the way John did? But if there was one thing Cameron could do, it was helping John to deal with these sorts of problems. She learned a lot from the interactions between Sarah and John to know what humans needed when they were stressed out. They needed encouragement…and lots of physical contact. She scooted even closer so that John could feel the warmth of her presence.

She said softly, "You're right. I don't. But I'm always thinking. And I'm always trying to understand. And one thing I understand is that General Perry, Sarah Connor, Derek's men, and Weaver's machines working together couldn't compete against the vastly superior numbers of Skynet. But now that we're back in 2009, we now know those numbers and where Skynet's main resources are. Thanks to you, we can destroy or dismantle those resources to give the resistance an advantage in the future."

John replied, "Yeah, but still. I shouldn't have left them. They're family. You don't leave family behind, especially when they're in that much danger."

While John understood Cameron's logic, he still felt guilty. Cameron expected as much, but did her best to convince John that he did the right thing. Ultimately, Cameron knew that convincing him he made the right choice would reduce John's stress and help him to focus more with the present task at hand.

Cameron replied, "There's something you should consider. Your mother was going to bleed to death."

"No, the medics could've gotten to her and saved her from her wound." John suggested.

Cameron shook her head, "I'm sorry John, but she lost too much blood. It would have only been a matter of time before Skynet's machines stormed the barracks and killed her."

John shook his head, "You don't know that."

Cameron answered, "No, but her death was a very good probability. To make things worse, if a machine managed to kill Kyle while he was securing the artery in Allison's neck, Allison would have bled to death too."

Shocked by her words, John asked, "What are you saying Cameron?"

Cameron explained, "I'm saying that if you stayed, your mother Sarah Connor, your father Kyle, and Allison would have more than likely died along with you. It would have jeopardized the resistance and would have likely led to humanity's demise."

"All those things, you think they would have happened? That's a little much don't you think?" He asked.

"I believe it would've happened. That's why I believe you did the right thing. You were protecting them from a far worse tragedy that couldn't be stopped unless you went back." She argued.

John smiled, "Thanks Cameron, it makes me feel better that you told me. It seems that I chose the better option. It takes a load off my shoulders. But...it still feels weird. I don't think that it's going to leave me anytime soon. I still feel haunted by my own actions."

Cameron cleverly placed her hand on John's lap. She turned her head to face John, meeting his gaze.

She answered, "I wouldn't expect anything else. If you felt nothing, then that would've been a problem."

John smiled, "You really do get me. You really get how we work don't you?"

Cameron answered, "I'm trying my best."

Cameron's face came very close to John's. Leaning in closely, John slowly reached for and kissed Cameron on her lips. It felt magical. The weather was warm, yet complimented by a slight breeze. The grass was green and the skies were blue. He could hear the birds tweeting and chirping while the trees rustled in the wind. Everything came alive the moment their lips touched.

Grabbing hold of Cameron's hand, John said to his cyborg companion, "So what's bothering you?"

Cameron was a little surprised that John could tell she wanted to ask him something.

Cameron asked, "How did you know?"

John said, "Well, for the past week, you've been secretly eyeing me. I thought you'd come talk to me at some point, but you kept walking away. That's when I knew you were battling whether to talk to me about something in your CPU. Now that I have the chance, I'd like you to tell me what's bothering you."

Cameron said, "Savannah believes that God sent me to you to protect you and help you grow as a leader by being your friend and protector. He thinks I've given you a better motivation to fight Skynet because you want to stop Skynet and not because you have to. Ironically, you choose to do it to protect me and not destroy me. Future Savannah believes that without me, you wouldn't be as good a leader as you're destined to be."

John nodded, "Well, that's good I guess. But what's your problem with her statement?"

"Well, it's something Allison said in contrast to that."

John commented, "Well Cameron, you should take what Allison says with a grain of salt."

Cameron responded, "Your statement makes no sense. You can't turn words into salt."

John rolled his eyes, "What I mean to say is that you shouldn't take Allison seriously. She's said a lot of things she doesn't mean."

Cameron responded, "Maybe so, but Allison told me that Catherine Weaver sent me to you to manipulate you. She believes that with me in your life, there is no such thing as John Connor because you're nothing but a pawn."

"That's not true Cameron." John insisted.

"It is true. If I asked you to run away with me, would you do it?" Cameron said.

John hesitated.

Cameron answered for him, "You would. But you can't do that. You can't let me manipulate you."

John said, "Everyone we meet manipulates us in a way Cameron. The difference is whether you manipulate me to do good or bad."

"But I could. I could go bad. I could make you do bad things."

John retorted, "Anyone can go bad. That includes, robots, animals, and even people. Do you remember that deal we made a while back?"

"What deal?" Cameron tilted her head.

"You made me promise that I would be willing to hurt you if it meant protecting myself. I agreed to do that if you promised never to hurt me."

"Yes."

"Well let's do that right here. Do you promise never to manipulate me to do bad things?" John asked.

The terminator nodded, "Yes."

"Good, then I promise never to let myself get manipulated for the worse."

John smiled. Cameron didn't. She didn't always smile, but John was okay with that. He was still too happy to finally be back in 2009 with his lost love.

Breaking the silence, Cameron said, "What should we do now? Sarah and Derek are gone in search of Danny Dyson and as of right now John Henry has not contacted us with any new information on Skynet."

John shrugged, "I really don't know."

All of the sudden, Savannah burst through the front door at lightning speed. John nearly jumped off his seat, nearly forgetting that Savannah was bouncing around in the house this whole time. John wondered to himself why his mother agreed with Weaver and Ellison to take care of Savannah. It wasn't like a busy Sarah Connor was going to be a much better mother than Weaver. Perhaps it was for Derek's sake that Sarah decided to keep Savannah. But with a little girl running around on the porch and loaded with energy, John and Cameron knew they were going to have a long day.

"Where's uncle Derek? I want to play tag!" Savannah screamed excitedly.

John explained, "Sorry Savannah, but he's out with aunt Sarah."

Savannah countered, "How about you two? You should play tag with me instead!"

Cameron turned to John and suggested, "John, you can play with her. I will guard the perimeter of the safehouse."

Savannah shook her head in confusion, "No, that's not how it works. Boyfriends normally protect their girlfriends, don't they?"

"That's now how it works with us Savannah." John laughed.

Savannah frowned, "Cameron isn't your girlfriend? Is it because she's a robot?"

Cameron automatically corrected, "I'm a terminator. Living tissue over a technologically advanced hyperalloy endoskeleton. I am designed to covertly eliminate certain or potential threats with the most efficient means necessary. However, my current chosen task is to protect John Connor so that he can lead the resistance to victory if the world is destroyed through a devastating apocalyptic war."

"You speak funny." Savannah laughed.

John explained, "No, she…she is my girlfriend. Yeah, she is my girlfriend isn't she?"

Cameron eyed John curiously and watched him as he flashed a grin.

Seeing John's enthusiastic smile and confident nod, Cameron looked towards Savannah and said, "Yes, I'm his girlfriend."

"Then why doesn't John protect you?" Savannah wondered.

Cameron answered, "He does. I'm just better at it."

Savannah smiled, thinking that she understood what Cameron meant. Suddenly, Savannah touched John on his chest.

The little girl giggled, "Your "it"!"

John complained, "What? No fair. I needed time to get away!"

Savannah squealed, "No take-backs. You're still "it"."

With a devious grin, John quickly tapped Cameron on her arm.

Cameron said, "Why'd you do that?"

"Because you're "it" now!" He said.

"I don't know how to play this game." The cyborg confessed.

Savannah replied, "You catch one of us silly! If you do, then one of us is "it"!"

Cameron tilted her head, "Will I refrain from being "it" if I catch you and then you become "it"?"

John nodded, "Of course."

Cameron smiled, "Okay, I will chase you."

John turned to Savannah, "Savannah, you better run! She can move really fast!"

Immediately, the two made a dash onto green grass. John, splitting away from Savannah, made his way to the trees, hoping to lose Cameron's watchful eyes quickly. After running for a few minutes, John ran out of breath, hoping that he finally lost Cameron in the bushes.

John thought to himself, "Maybe she decided to go after Savannah. That would make more sense."

Leaning against a tree, John relaxed for a minute, trying to gather himself. John suddenly heard a rustling noise that caught him off guard. Then John heard the tree move. Looking up, he found a human body sprawling all over him. Someone fell on him from the trees. It was Cameron.

Lying flat in the leaves with Cameron on top of him, John laughed.

He said with a smile of his face, "How did you do that? You couldn't possibly…how did you do that?"

Cameron explained, "I assessed your current levels of endurance, trajectory, and velocity to calculate the most likely area where you would stop."

John said, "That's amazing! But where's Savannah?"

"Oh, she's "it" now. I already caught her. But I think she will have trouble finding us." Cameron said.

"Oh really now? What do you want to do before she finds us?"

Brushing the hair out of Cameron's face, John gazed at her pretty face. John found he could never get tired looking at her.

Cameron admitted, "I don't know."

John said, "You're beautiful, you know that?"

Cameron said, "You've told me that before."

"I have?"

"In your sleep."

John frowned, "You still watch me when I sleep?"

Unexpectedly, Cameron said something that John didn't expect her to say first, "I think I love you John."

John smiled, "I think I love you too. Now kiss me again, I'm too exhausted to do all the work!"

Cameron got down, pressing his lips to his. They rolled around in the leaves, not caring one bit about watchful eye of the squirrels and the birds. This was one of the few moments of precious time they had together before they returned the toils of fighting Skynet. But while they were together and having fun, they were sure as hell going to make the most of it.

* * *

 **Thanks to Cammy P for faithfully reviewing the chapters. Once again, I will say that my story was not perfect, but I did my best. Thank you to the readers. Believe it or not, I've garnered more than 30,000 views for the project. I never expected such a massive viewership. Please feel free to comment or make genuinely helpful criticisms. While the story is finished, I am still open to your thoughts on areas that could use some improvements.**

 **As of right now, I don't intend to write a continuation to this story. That is why I will tell you how I want John and Cameron's story to end.**

 **If I continued the story, you would've eventually found the Connor family defeating Skynet and stopping judgment day. More specifically, Skynet attempts to kill Allison Young, forcing Sarah Connor and the rest of the family to battle it out against an array of murderous terminators. This is reminiscent of the drone attack that took place in 2027, attempting to kill Allison Young as she is destined to be an influential officer within the resistance. Even though no one ever talks about it, John and Cameron are convinced that Allison somehow becomes the destined leader in John's place. To stop Skynet from killing Allison, Danny Dyson works along with the Connors to design a virus disguised as regular software to cripple Skynet's mainframe just enough for John Henry to take control. Despite initial success, terminators from previous timelines still roam about the earth and still have the goal of ensuring Skynet's existence in the future. This means Sarah, Derek, John, and Cameron have the difficult task of killing each and every last terminator on the earth and toppling any and all plans to bring Skynet back online.**

 **All in all, the Connor family succeed in their mission, ensuring Skynet never returns. Nevertheless, such success is not without its costs. In the series finale, I believe Sarah Connor would very possibly die. I don't know whether Josh Friedman would have kept her alive if the show finished with maybe seven or more seasons. As for Cameron, she also dies, scarring John forever… that is until it's revealed that Cameron had traveled back in time and created a duplicate version of herself for that very specific situation. Despite a few other strains and obstacles, John and Cameron's romantic relationship remains steady. Over time, they grow closer to each other and end up living together undercover as a legally married couple.**

 **We also eventually see a brief glimpse into the future where a young Derek Reese and Kyle Reese grow up to become minor league baseball players. James Ellison rises through the ranks at Ziera Corporation. We notice Martin Bedell running in the Boston Marathon. And finally, we find Allison Young learning to ride a bicycle as a much older-looking version of herself watches in the distance, wondering whether she should reveal herself to the young innocent girl .**


End file.
